North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

By west, how far west do you mean?  The native range stops at the Rockies, on a range map; a description said the Western range is the Mississippi Valley.  I looked into growing it once many years ago, but at least at that time it wasn’t legal to grow in California, as I recall; although the few sources of seed I’ve found don’t mention that restriction.

 

Our common native edible-tuber-producer is chufa, one of the nutsedges.  Seems to be cultivated in the states for wildlife, and at least in the past, to fatten hogs.  It’s cultivated in Spain for use in making the beverage Horchata.  Although it grows freely here and southward, the Mexican horchata is usually made from rice. 

 

Anyone here tried growing it?

 

~ Stephen

 

From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Lon J. Rombough
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 8:37 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] never mind yacon, grow Apios

 

A weed there, but in the west Apios hardly even grows until midsummer, then requires heavy watering. It needs warm, wet summers to perform.
-Lon Rombough