Polymnia sonchifolia ‘Morado’(Smallanthus sonchifolius ’Morado’) (Asteraceae)

Product details

The tuberous roots of this variety have a dark purple skin and a white flesh that is slightly pinkish just under the skin. This plant is much cultivated in South America for its tuberous, edible, sweet roots usually eaten like fruits. It can grow up to 2 m high. Leaves spatulate-deltoid, pubescent, about 15 cm in size, with a winged petiole. It flowers rarely. From the basal rhizome crown in Autumn it develops numerous swollen roots that, after extracting from the soil and cut away from the mother-plant, need to be exposed to the sun for some days: in this way sugars inside them concentrate making roots sweeter. It originates from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Roots contain sugars that can be eaten by diabetics too. The taste is very sweet. Roots can be used as fruit, both cooked and raw.

Root (from november to march)
16 cm pot