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Old 01-06-2020, 05:33 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Charlie Pridham[_2_] Charlie Pridham[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2007
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Default Any one actually tried eating the tubers of Bomarea edulis?

On 31/05/2020 20:02, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Charlie Pridham wrote:
We grow the above as an ornamental flowering climber (and very lovely it
is) but I know back where it comes from it is cultivated as a food crop
so I just wondered if it was something anyone has tried?


No, but I am trying Ipomoea alba for that in my new greenhouse - so
far, it is not doing well.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

You dont need a greenhouse for the Bomarea its perfectly hardy (well the
tubers below the frost line are)

The reason I am wary is that many of these tuber producing crops were
brought back along with potatoes and a lot were being grown in Cornwall
back in the Elizabethan era but not now and it makes you wonder why not.
it may be the taste but there are other reasons - some years ago I was
told by a Chilean lady that the tubours of Tropaeolum tuberosum were
used by local wemon in the food to stop their men folk being so frisky
(she went quite pink while telling me!!) so I can see why that
particular plant is no longer grown here

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk