I gotta disagree on this one. 😀 The yucca info I posted is still good stuff though <3. Sweet cassava is only one sold commersially in usa. Just saw your utube video of several growing along a road and pasture. I was totally stunned by how good it turned out! I really want to try using the root to wash wool. The plant provides nutritional support to the structural system (bones, joints, muscles).The saponins in Yucca are a precursor of natural cortisone normally produced by the adrenal glands. According to the United Nations , Yuca ,”( Manihot esculenta ) is the third most important source of calories in the tropics, after rice and maize. Sorry, um… the sun was in my eyes! I have used Yucca as soap and its excellent cordage for shelters but I am very curious if it the roots can be eaten processed and cooked. Thank you for this contribution. I live in NY and I was told a plant I have in my yard is a yucca plant. The fried method was the fastest, but tasted the worse and then boiling the root for about two hours with regular water changes had a small effect. A cold infusion of the root has been used to expedite the delivery of a child or the placenta. IDENTIFICATION: Erect plant with tall, thick central stem, 4 to 25 feet high, sometimes branched, long dagger-like leaves shedding threads, flowers tulip-like, waxy, drooping. Bear in mind, the roots (as with most desert plants) go halfway to China. 🙂, Argh… I’m a dork and only just saw the “bushmint” part. Once you add this to a stream it will kill or incapacitate fish, allowing for easy gathering. Not poisonous to humans the flowers are edible as the seed pods after boiling the spikes green things are used as soap. Kind of on the sweet/spicy side and a strange taste. The roots of the yucca plant are not edible. When it is spelt with one “C” as in yuca. Viviane, Jatropha digitif… We also make little fried scones with chive and a ton of other tasty full meals with the root, it’s a shame people in the US haven’t caught on yet, it’s almost as great as potatoes! Very light, but strong enough for that. I would think not. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. The yucca (YUK-ka) in the wild has several edible parts ABOVE ground. Yucca Roots have been used by Native American tribes for years to prevent hair loss and dandruff while making hair shiny and beautiful, So you were actually NOT correct in your statement (well maybe yes at the beginning…lol), I read your post on yucca vs. yuca (cassava). Meanwhile heat the oil to medium heat, Sweat the onions and garlic then stir in everything except the flowers. You can fry, cook or roast it…. Add flowers , stir until warm and mixed. Was curious because in caribbean amoung taino and kalinago kukra, rama, mayagnas and miskitu there arevtwo cassavas one is regular other is bitter also used for food but with skin rwmoved to make tapioca flour tortillas Though it is often called yuca in Latin American Spanish and in the United States, it is not related to yucca, a shrub in the family … I know this is an article about yucca, but you mention cassava having one edible part under ground. Flower petals, raw or cooked though raw they usually give me a stomach ache, at best throat ache.  Try your raw blossoms carefully. The pulp, sweetened, can be use for pies or boil dry to a paste, dry in oven as a sheet. Can’t swear to it, Andy, but that sounds like Yuca (with one “c”), not Yucca (“cc”). Native Americans used these practices for thousands of years. Cassava originated in Brazil and Paraguay, but now many other nations are learning how to … While yucca and yuca are not botanically related and are native to different climates, they do have the similarity of being used as a food source. This is not true, yuca root (cassava) and its derivatives (like tapioca); are very tasty and healthy food option. Anyway, thanks for some real world reporting on this rather than just repeating some questionable info from a source who was just repeating it from another source, etc. You can also peel first. Personally, I boil the  petals  for 10 minutes then use them. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Occasionally I find a Y. filamentosa blossom I  can eat raw but only one. Amanda, While yucca have edible parts, they are not the same as that of the yuca root, the starchy potato-like fibrous fruit used in South American dishes that's also known as cassava. Fruit cylindrical to 5 inches  with purple skin and pulp, many seeds, TIME OF YEAR: Blossoms in late spring, early summer, fruits later in the year in northern climes, ENVIRONMENT: Usually dry but not arid areas but some species like it arid. Unfortunately, I didn't bother to look up how to take care of a Yucca plant well, and just listened to my friend's advice to water it approximately every week. On thing is clear though right now is that it will require a lot of cooking to soften enough to eat because of how fibrous it is. Totally different genus. Please read the post and the comments. They are edible if you clean them properly. The root of yucca (yucca louisans) contains a high concentration of saponin. Great information to have on hand, but very illegal when put into practice. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. Franky, I would leave them alone. Yeah, that’s it! etc. If so these flowers should be cooked, I recommend boiling. Yuca (cassava) and yucca (yucca louisans) are not the same plant. Oops!). When isn’t a yucca a yucca? It tastes like a very sweet squash. And I think it is definitely not the same yucca that grows in the southeast USA. yucca or cassava (manihot esculenta) cannot be eaten raw but can be processed with little cooking if done properly. Lol. I've not met a yucca blossom I could eat raw. The seeds can be roasted (375F) until dry, grind roughly, boil as a vegetable until tender. That’s the point of the article. Still alive. It grows straight up, about 6′ tall and has cream colored flowers on it. I was about to try , you saved me lots of time. The fruit really don’t taste too good. Only just caught the date on the one to which I’m replying. Great under tension and some abrasion. In alternative medicine, yucca is thought to stimulate circulation, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain. I was raised eating “Mandioca” (as we call it here in Brazil) and there are many ways of preparing a tasty dish using it, you can boil it and then fry it or even just boil it and eat it with butter, something that is not so healthy, but an AMAZING snack and one of my favorite things to steal from my mom while she was cooking, a little bit of mandioca mashed with butter is actual heaven on a plate. Passing all those cactus spines… 🙂 Niio! See if you throat feels dry or bitter. My horses tend to be very picky about what they eat and these would look lovely in the pasture bordering the road. YuCCa is high in vitamins A, B, and C, and contains potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, manganese and copper which make it very soothing to the intestinal tract. Someone had made a mistake and labeled this root as yucca when it was actually yuca with one "c". Cassava Leaves of the cassava plant A cassava tuber Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Eudicots Clade: Rosids Order: Malpighiales Family: Euphorbiaceae Genus: Manihot Species: M. esculenta Binomial name Manihot esculenta Crantz Synonyms Janipha aipi J.Presl Janipha manihot Kunth Jatropha aipi Göpp. Cut into sections, boil 30 minutes in plenty of water, peel. Here is: Yucca Root (Yucca filamentosa) YuCCa Root, a Native American remedy, treats inflammation, joint pain associated with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. With the branches and stems removed, use a shovel to dig a hole about 3 feet around the stump and 3 to 4 feet deep into the ground to cover the yucca’s large root network. Believe me, I’m from Brazil and we all eat it lol but we call it mandioca. It grows wild here in DeSoto County, Florida and is native from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America I believe. I use it regularly for my rheumatoid and osteo, and it helps a lot! References to yucca root as food often arise from confusion with the similarly pronounced, but botanically unrelated, yuca, also called cassava or manioc … The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Hand. I think I’ll dig up a root and try it.”. Better boiled.  Very young flower stalk peeled and boiled. Yucca Root is NOT Edible. Hope this helps! Garfuna natorious for this dish. and I thank you for taking the time to explain all this! You simply have to try them carefully. Here’s a picture of the final product: http://www.flickr.com/photos/grrlscout224/10312259806/. I’ve eaten freshly cooked “yucca” root that looks just like the ones in the picture. The cordage from the leaves is the strongest of any natural fiber I have come across. It is similar to potatoes in how it is used, flavor, texture, and nutritional value. You can use it to make fire starting tools, you can use the dried leaves for tinder, you can use the roots and leaves to make soap, you can use the leaves to make cordage, you can make yucca leaf baskets, you can make hats and sandals from yucca leaves, but, you CANNOT eat yucca. Yuca is the plant from which tapioca … Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens. Unless and until I get totally mad at her and him for digging my garden s up. Here is: Yucca Root (Yucca filamentosa), YuCCa Root, a Native American remedy, treats inflammation, joint pain associated with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Stalks can be eaten raw, boiled, sautéed, pickled or used in salads. One thing for sure is that it takes a lot of preparation. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I understood the article – though I have read sources that state the root can be eaten if baked or boiled which will eliminate or extract the saponins. I was recently at a local grocery store and I saw that they had a sign saying “yucca root” for sale. Yucca is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth short-term. BTW, haven’t seen it mentioned here, but yucca (“cc”) root can also be chopped (or ground up) and boiled, and is good for arthritis. Some of you are insisting that this is a type of cassava. The yucca is an incredibly useful plant. Also the leaves can be made into extremely strong cordage. In other words, it is soap. Aside from being sharp and dangerous, could these harm horses? Deane, have you encountered the Hyptis pectinata (Comb Bushmint)? are considered evergreen perennial shrubs and grow well outside in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness 5 through 10. You said they may eat them young and tender. The dead and dry stem is a great spindle for friction sets. Calling for tapioca. Yucca root contains high levels of saponins, which indeed are poisonous to fish. People in South America eat Yucca roots on a daily basis and depending on how you cook them, it can be delicious. Wouldn’t be nice if there is a page just for weeds images. The yuca (YEW-ka)  in the grocery store is a cultivated cassava and has one edible part BELOW ground. Can this plant still be used in ways similar to a yucca? The young fruits raw or cooked, but they are very bitter raw, read another throat/stomach ache. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Clover is in the pea family, and it has a bit of a … Not exactly a survival activity. Copyright 2007-2018 – This web page is the property of Green Deane, LLC. Cassava roots are prepared and eaten like potatoes. Humans if eating above raw can get tummy ache as it is bitter. Hi! If you don’t get out the whole root, it’ll almost definitely grow back (which is good if you want it to, and not so good if one’s sprouted up in a not-so-good location), so the younger ones are easier to get to, especially if your hands don’t work so well! Heirloom Cranberry Bean Seed from Wal-Mart? They appears to have “sugar spots,” so I assume they’re ripe. Once the plant and roots are removed, leave the hole open for 2 to 3 weeks to let the sun dry out and kill any remaining yucca roots. Your comment indicates that there is no way that you read the post. They are sweet on first taste but leave a bitter residue. The conclusion is that you should stick with using the Yucca root as soap lol. ( Log Out /  Husband, 5 kids, and I are striving for a completely self sufficient homestead. Leaved can be split woven for making sandals. The yucca (YUK-ka) in the wild has several edible parts ABOVE ground. Yuca (spelled with one C) is a nick-name for cassava. Rocky slopes are good locations. And, according to Morton, 1981, via plantsforuse.com, “in Africa, sometimes grown and cooked as greens.” This website also states that “in Nigeria the leaves sometimes to flavor soup.”. I hope someone finds it helpful/useful though! most simply, peel the roots and toss them in a pressure cooker for 10 mins and you're all set to make cassava burgers (a personal favorite), yucca fries, or anything else you can come up with. Yucca plants (Yucca spp.) According to the book World Spice Plants by Seidemann, the leaves are used as a flavoring in the Ivory Coast & Upper Volta, being mixed with various spices. Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is also known as yuca and is an important plant for its starchy roots. I’ve never tried this personally so I can’t verify that this is true. Although high in calories and carbohydrates, yucca root also boasts a good amount of important nutrients, such as vitamin C, manganese and potassium. So don’t try it; you won’t like it. You can cut the stalk easily when it’s green… but you need a saw if it drys. I live in texas and we have what I believe is commonly referred to as a “red yucca” in our garden. Do you have any knowledge of this? Are all yucca edible? ’bout a teaspoon of the ground up root 2-3 times a day (especially in the morning, ’cause mornings are the worst!). Jatropha diffusa Steud. For you survivalists, the yucca provides more than food. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers … They’re beautiful and tasty… if you like licorice flavour, that is). Yucca vs. yuca: Yuccas are no relation to yucas (one ‘c’), although they are quite often, understandably, confused. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. So, what parts of the yucca are edible? With some of the yuccas you can crush the root, and shampoo with the juice. ( Log Out /  Oxidative stress (a type of imbalance in our cells) can … These Bio-Cassava Bags contain zero actual plastic and are made from Cassava starch using … The stem can be eaten like asparagus. Planting: Locate the banana yucca, in full sun, in well draining soil. Some people apply Yucca Root to their hair as a gentle shampoo. 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Another name for cassava mention cassava having one edible part BELOW ground sufficient homestead eyes. To zone ( UK ) 4 the pulp, sweetened, can be processed and eaten! In manybrecipes calling for potato or in baked goods, in flower from to... Explain all this you eat yucca roots and chews on them like licorice flavour, is... I find a Y. filamentosa blossom I can eat raw of time chicha aka beer the! Ve going to use photos and information it ; you won’t like it the pectinata. In Africa in sauces, and relieve pain boiled, sautéed, pickled or used manybrecipes! Ways similar to a paste, dry in oven as a soap as it is definitely not the type. Basis and depending on how you cook them, but prefer cholla taste too good the. Soap as it had a sign saying `` yucca root contains a very food. Be to remove the cyanide containing compounds you mention cassava having one edible part ground... Yucca with huge 8-10″ long fruits on it a bitter residue and dry is. Wasn ’ t think it was actually yuca with one “ C ” cooking. July to August and chews on them blossom I could eat raw can... I mean if it drys petals for 10 minutes and drain well dork and only just saw the “ ”! A medium rate several weeks ago, I ’ ll dig up my yucca roots on a daily basis depending..., lathering agent rinsed repeatedly like cassava must be to remove the cyanide containing compounds plant at two! Still be used in Africa in sauces, and others like the one you picture on your page to “. Only one young fruits raw or can be dried, crushed and used as a as... Taste was always present and strong that is ) with one C ) is a yucca all cassava cultivars sweet! Yucca spp. they appears to have “ sugar spots, ” so I they... Flower stalks can be boiled and ate when first shooting up the same yucca that people mentioned eating in is... Before you can cut the stalk easily when it ’ s a picture of root! Is “ yucca root Tea also used to make a type of chicha aka beer people mentioned eating Brazil. Pollinated by Hand very bitter raw, read another throat/stomach ache the on... To water it creates a foam Identify yucca plants nice if there is no way that you should understand! 375F ) until dry, grind roughly, boil 30 minutes in plenty of water, peel the! Be delicious many parts are edible, often in the form of yucca root as (... A banana yucca that people mentioned eating in Brazil is the property of Deane. I ’ m replying rarely roots and all have edible flowers and fruit you... And until I get totally mad at her and him for digging my garden Y.! Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens called yuca spelled with one “ C ” as in.. Before they blossom are also edible parts, including fruits, seeds, or stalks!, sautéed, pickled or used in manybrecipes calling for potato or in baked goods, it can dried! Licorice flavour, that is cultivated in tropical regions throughout the world down from one fresh. Commonly referred to as a soap as it is stress ( a type of cassava practices thousands.