Achira (Canna edulis) is an Andean root crop that enjoys a tropical climate. Recognizable as a relative to Canna indica, which also produces an edible rhizomes, Canna edulis can produce 2 to 3 foot edible rhizomes! Primarily it is used for starch production, but smaller roots can be quite tender when well cooked. This plant is quite stunning in the garden and has potential as a landscaping crop with ‘survival’ food potential.
OUR WORK
The Utopian Seed Project has been growing Achira in Western NC for a couple of years and is working with plant stock from board member, Yanna Fishman. The specific cultivar is unknown and we are interested in promoting this crop as a food source as well as exploring additional varietal potential.
Achira grown from seed (courtesy of @feels_like_far). I don't yet know what the harvest will be like, but the plant is beautiful and has flowered prolifically and I have a good quantity of seed already saved. If it also produces a good quantity of rhizome then it's pretty exciting to have a seed option for growing Achira aka Canna edulis. I think this is a diploid strain of Achira, but I'm going to grow from the seed I saved for another season to be sure that it grows true. I'll also grow from rhizomes to see if it affects growth and yield, our other Achira that doesn't set seed is over twice as tall as this one...
#Achira #tuspachira #cannaedulis #seedsaving
Canna edulis aka Achira: a beautiful #andeanrootcrop that produces tropical red leafed foliage and large underground rhizomes. Known primarily for it's large starch molecules, Canna edulis is used in Colombia to make Achira Biscuits (bizcochos de Achira), which are boarded onto the @slowfood_international Ark of Taste.
If any Colombian cooks or bakers want to experiment then please get in touch!
Thanks to @sowtrueseed for helping with the harvest!
#experimentalfarm #experimentalroots #achira #cannaedulis #canna #starch #arkoftaste #communitysupported
The Canna edulis (aka Achira) is busting through and looking delicious. Fall harvest of tropical roots is rapidly approaching...
#achira #cannaedulis #experimentalroots #experimentalfarm
This year we are growing #Achira from our traditional rhizome with beautiful red variegated leaves, but also from seeds given to us by @feels_like_far
The seed grown achira is smaller and has single color green leaves, but it's already flowering! Excited to hopefully save some seeds for the first time.
#cannaedulis #seedsaving #regionaladaptation #tuspachira
Oh my gosh! The babiest Achira seedling (Canna edulis). Pretty excited to grow this crop from seed (thanks to @feels_like_far for sharing).
#achira #cannaedulis #andeanroots #tuspachira #roots #seedlings #farming #gardening
Achira (Canna edulis) is a traditional Andean root crop that can be eaten raw but is often turned into a flour. Here we peeled and sliced the roots and dehydrated them at 135F for 8hrs until they fully dried. Next we ran them through a coffee grinder to make a fine flour. Now we can experiment with the Colombian tradition of making Achira Biscuits, as archived on the @slowfood_international Ark of Taste.
#achira #cannaedulis #andeanrootcrop
Canna edulis aka Achira is a Andean tropical perennial that we can grow in North Carolina as a temperate annual. Achira produces a large edible rhizome that could become a significant root crop as our climate warms. It's also a beautiful landscaping plant!
This is the first video of a Utopian Seed Project series called, Meet-the-Plant, where plant experts introduce you to less known plants (in North Carolina) that have food production potential.
In this video, Brandon Ruiz, founder of CLT Herbal Accessibility Project and The Utopian Seed Project board member, gives a historical, botanical and culinary overview of Canna edulis aka Achira.
Learn more at utopianseed.org
The dreamy depths of Canna edulis aka Achira #growyourownfood #experimentalroots #achira #cannaedulis
Excited to see how Canna edulis aka achira performs in WNC. It has the potential to form large edible tubers, and unlike many of the Andean root crops (i.e. oca), does not have a photo sensitive period to contend with. Plus it's a stunning ornamental.
#achira #cannaedulis #edibleexperiments #experimentalroots #diversity
TESTING A THEORY
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Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.