Cassava plant grow and care – shrub of the genus Manihot and also known as Tapioca plant, Yuca or Manioc. Cassava plant evergreen perennial but in a cold weather become deciduous, can grow in tropics mediterranean or subtropics climate and growing in hardiness zone 10+.
Flowers color is white or purple, the flower has five petals and grow in clusters.
Yuca leaves edible leaves with 5-9 lobes, sometimes the lobes very prominent and sometimes barely visible, depending on the cultivars, the leaves can reach to 15 cm. the leaves are green but in some cultivar are yellow-white in the inner of the leaf and some when the leaf is young are purple-red the stems of can be in purple-red.
Tuber is edible and starchy, the tuber develop a number of bulbs connected to the main brunch. From the Yuca make the Tapioca pearls
Well drain soil, possible slightly acid soil, frost free
What is the best way to start growing: Plant / Vegetative Reproduction
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? Yes, easier than to grow from seeds
Difficulties/Problems with growing: ?
Planting season: Spring, summer (in the tropic all year)
Pests and diseases: Mite, aphids
Pruning season: Spring / Summer / Autumn
How to prune: Cut the main stem to use for cutting (vegetative reproduction)
Size of the plant? 1-3 m, 3-10 feet
Growth speed in optimal condition: Fast growing / Medium growing
Irrigation water management requirement: Average amount of water / Big amount of water
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun / Morning sun less after non
Is it possible to grow indoor? No
Growing is also possible in a planter /flowerpot / containers: Yes
Subspecies
Bitter Cassava plant – the tuber is bitter
Sweet Cassava plant – the tuber is sweeter
Vegetative Reproduction
How to make Vegetative Reproduction? Cutting, tuber
The best season for vegetative reproduction: Spring / Summer / Autumn
How much time does it take to grow roots in vegetative reproduction? 2-5 weeks
What is the treatment for vegetative reproduction? Moist, half shade
Edible leaves
When to trim the leaves? All year
How to trim the leaves? From the base of the leave
Information about leaves: Leaves can reach to 15 cm with 5-9 lobes, leaves are green but in some cultivar are yellow-white in the inner of the leaf, some when the leaf is young are purple-red
Uses of Cassava plant leaves: Cooking, staffed leaves, stir fry
Edible Roots
Information about tuber:
Tuber develop a number of bulbs connected to the main brunch, the tuber need to be cooked, contain toxic when it raw
When to pull up tuber: 10 month from planting can be all year long
