Arracacia xanthorrhiza

Arracacia xanthorrhiza or otherwise known as Arracacha is a perennial root crop with a short, cylindrical stem of up to 10 cm in diameter. It grows up to 1 m tall. It is commonly cultivated in small scale operations for its edible starchy roots. The tuber is cooked and is considered as a staple food in some parts of South America, usually as a potato substitute. It is also a good source of starch. The leaves are used as a flavouring, or eaten either raw or cooked and mixed in salads. The stems are as well cooked and eaten as vegetables.

Arracacia xanthorrhiza is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m .
It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. The species is hermaphrodite and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: medium soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic soils. It can grow in semi-shade or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Cultivation of this plant usually takes place at higher elevation of 1,800 - 3,500 metres in the Tropics, though it can also be grown at lower elevations down to 600 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 14 - 21°c, but can tolerate 10 - 28°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,200mm, but tolerates 600 - 1,800mm. Requires a sunny position. Prefers a good loam. Grows best in a well-drained sandy loam with a pH in the range of 5 to 6. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5. Plants take about 120 - 240 days from planting to produce a first crop and 300 - 400 days to produce a crop of mature tubers. At harvest time there can be as many as 10 tubers each the size of a carrot formed around the central root196]. One plant can yield 2 - 3 kg of edible roots, total yields of 40 tonnes per hectare are possible. Preventing the plant from flowering can increase yields. Plants might be sensitive to daylength, possibly requiring short days to initiate tuber production, and so may not be suitable for temperate climates. They also have a longer growing season than potatoes and are frost-tender so need a relatively long growing season. Plants do not always produce viable seed in S. America.