Jicama (White Yam/Yam Bean) /Pachyrhizus Tuberosus/
Jicama is a perennial climbing or trailing plant producing annual, twining stems from a tuberous rootstock.
The plant is cultivated for its edible root and seedpods in tropical areas.
Uses
Usage
Root – raw or cooked. Eat fresh like a fruit or dice and add to a fruit/ vegetable salad.
They can be stored for a time but are taste better when fresh as starches convert to sugars over time.
Production Requirements
Climate
Grows well in lowland tropics and subtropics.
Cultivation
Prefers a moist fertile well-drained soil in a sunny position.
Plant directly from seed in Spring about 60cm apart.
Plants can be grown on a trellis or can sprawl along the ground.
To maximize production of tubers, remove all flowers and seedpods.
Edible parts
The roots can be eaten at any size.
Young tender seedpods are eaten but become poisonous as they mature.
Risks and weed potential
Seeds are poisonous in large amounts containing rotenone (an ingredient in derris dust) so best to remove all flowers, leaving just a couple out of children’s reach for seed production. No weed potential known.
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest
Harvest tubers before they mature at about 180 days. Older tubers become too fibrous to eat
