Steven Murray's "Sweet Cassava"
This is an interesting selection of Cassava that is reportedly noticeably sweeter than the regular commonly found Cassava. Sweet Cassava varieties have less of the Cyanide commonly found and are favored for commercial agriculture in areas with low pest pressure. This is the ideal eating variety and requires less processing in order to be edible. I have grown this in zone 9b California and had pretty decent success getting some sizable roots even with a late season plant out. This seems like an option for those looking for a fun Agroforestry crop that will winter kill in a zone 9b climate or stay green year round in more tropical areas.
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Name: Manihot esculenta
Common Name / Native Name: Cassava
Range:
Sun: Full sun/part shade
Height: ~10 feet
Width: ~8 feet
Foliage: Palmate foliage with a red stem
Flower: Classic Cassava flowers, not particularly showy
Fruit: Swollen roots are decent sized and quite delicious
Soil Type/ pH: Seems to tolerate moderately basic soil
USDA Climate Zones: 9b+ but will die in winter without protection
Cold Hardiness: Sensitive to frosts and cold weather
Edibility: A reportedly sweet variety that is great eaten once processed as with most other Cassava cultivars.
Age to maturity: ~7 months
This is an interesting selection of Cassava that is reportedly noticeably sweeter than the regular commonly found Cassava. Sweet Cassava varieties have less of the Cyanide commonly found and are favored for commercial agriculture in areas with low pest pressure. This is the ideal eating variety and requires less processing in order to be edible. I have grown this in zone 9b California and had pretty decent success getting some sizable roots even with a late season plant out. This seems like an option for those looking for a fun Agroforestry crop that will winter kill in a zone 9b climate or stay green year round in more tropical areas.
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Name: Manihot esculenta
Common Name / Native Name: Cassava
Range:
Sun: Full sun/part shade
Height: ~10 feet
Width: ~8 feet
Foliage: Palmate foliage with a red stem
Flower: Classic Cassava flowers, not particularly showy
Fruit: Swollen roots are decent sized and quite delicious
Soil Type/ pH: Seems to tolerate moderately basic soil
USDA Climate Zones: 9b+ but will die in winter without protection
Cold Hardiness: Sensitive to frosts and cold weather
Edibility: A reportedly sweet variety that is great eaten once processed as with most other Cassava cultivars.
Age to maturity: ~7 months
This is an interesting selection of Cassava that is reportedly noticeably sweeter than the regular commonly found Cassava. Sweet Cassava varieties have less of the Cyanide commonly found and are favored for commercial agriculture in areas with low pest pressure. This is the ideal eating variety and requires less processing in order to be edible. I have grown this in zone 9b California and had pretty decent success getting some sizable roots even with a late season plant out. This seems like an option for those looking for a fun Agroforestry crop that will winter kill in a zone 9b climate or stay green year round in more tropical areas.
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Name: Manihot esculenta
Common Name / Native Name: Cassava
Range:
Sun: Full sun/part shade
Height: ~10 feet
Width: ~8 feet
Foliage: Palmate foliage with a red stem
Flower: Classic Cassava flowers, not particularly showy
Fruit: Swollen roots are decent sized and quite delicious
Soil Type/ pH: Seems to tolerate moderately basic soil
USDA Climate Zones: 9b+ but will die in winter without protection
Cold Hardiness: Sensitive to frosts and cold weather
Edibility: A reportedly sweet variety that is great eaten once processed as with most other Cassava cultivars.
Age to maturity: ~7 months