Arracacia xanthorrhiza

Arakacha root ( Arracacia xantorrhiza )

Arakacha ( Arracacia xanthorrhiza ) ( Syn: . A. esculenta DC; Conium Arracacia HOOK ) is a crop from the carrot family ( Apiaceae ).

Description

The perennial herbaceous plant that resembles our celery, reaches stature heights of 1.0 to 1.5 m. She simply pinnate leaves and yellow or purple hermaphrodite flowers, which is pollinated by insects. The species is self-fertile, so it can be self-pollination.

The species forms a cylindric beet -like " rootstock " with lateral roots, thick in 8 to 12 months to up to 30 cm long and 3-8 cm, like carrots, grow strong white to purple storage roots. As the plants begin hardly fruits crops are propagated vegetatively via root breaks.

Location

The plant prefers medium loamy- sandy sites like fresh soils but tolerates no Bodenvernässungen. It grows best on soils with a pH of 5-6 (can not stand pH to 6.8 ) in areas with moderate precipitation amounts to approximately 1,000 mm ( optimum) and requires at least 600 mm. It is in sunny locations grown as well as slightly shady places under trees.

Dissemination

In the Andes of Peru and Colombia at an altitude of 1,800 m up to 2,600 m ( even up to 3,500 m) above sea level.

Ingredients

Strength (about 25% ), protein (about 1 %). Essential Oils. Water content of about 73 %.

Use

The "roots" are only a few days if stored and eaten raw or cooked shortly after scraping off the thin bark. Because of the essential oils they taste spicy and are therefore preferred by the Indians of the potato. The roots are also rubbed as a kind Reibekloß fried in boiling fat and used as " Bunuelos ". Young, bleached stalks and leaves are eaten as a salad or vegetables. The " rootstock " can be used as cattle feed.

Arrakacha applies in South America as a promising crop, run to their growing conditions and use of numerous research projects.