Arracacha (ar-ah-CAH-cha)
AKA Andean Carrot, Peruvian carrot, Peruvian parsnip
Arracacia xanthorrhiza
I bought two plants for $22 on eBay in November 2016. When they arrived, I was very disappointed they were snapped off tops, with no tuber attached, and not rooted. The "cuttings?" were just shoved in a tiny pot with soil. The seller refunded my money after I complained that one was dead on arrival and that I did not have great hopes for the other one.
Well I babysat the "other one" through the winter and looks great. It even has grown offsets, adding five plants around the base in which I plan to propagate and plant in the soil.
Great information and illustration of the plant with roots is available here:
https://www.cultivariable.com/andean-roots-tubers/how-to-grow-arracacha/
More good stuff here including a nice photo of how to propagate it:
https://permaculturenews.org/2013/09/04/arracacha-the-perennial-root-of-the-andes/
Arracacha in Brief:
- Perennial or easy to propagate annual plant
- Protect from frost
- A carbohydrate plant plus vitamin C
- Too hard to eat raw, needs to be cooked
- Flavor mix of carrot, potato, and celery
- It requires part shade in our SWFL summers
- Container growing is not recommended for growing the root
- 6-13 months required to grow large roots
- Unknown if root knot nematodes bother this plant
Only time will tell if Arracacha can survive our summers here in SWFL. Check back, I will add to this post as I have information.
UPDATE: I am sad to say that Arracacha did not survive the heat, humidity, and downpours.
UPDATE: I am sad to say that Arracacha did not survive the heat, humidity, and downpours.
