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ARROWROOT GROWING INFORMATION   © Frances Michaels BOTANICAL NAME: Canna edulis COMMON NAMES: achira; achera; dong rieng; edible canna ganyong; sakhu chin; zembu; maraca; Queensland arrowroot ORIGIN: American tropics PLANT DESCRIPTION A clump-forming perennial plant with thick stalks and large bright green leaves 30-60 cm long to 2 m high. ECOLOGY: It requires a warm sunny position; growth is much slower in cold areas. It is suitable for temperate, subtropical and tropical areas. USES Food: The tubers are best harvested to eat when still small and the skin is still white. They can be used all year round, as a potato substitute. Peel the tubers and cut them into chips, then bake in the oven until golden brown, the flavour is improved by a sprinkle of garlic salt. Cut into cubes they can be added to soups, or steamed like potatoes, until tender. Young tubers have the best flavour, older ones are fibrous. To make arrowroot flour peel the tubers and cut into 2-4cm cubes and blend with water to a pulp, or mince finely. Tip pulp into a large bowl and add water. The flour will quickly settle to the bottom and the brown fibrous pulp can be drained off the top. Continue to rinse until the water runs clear. Drain off the water and pour the white flour into trays, 1-2cm thick. Dry in the sun until soft and powdery. The flour keeps well and can be used as a thickener. To thicken to a light syrup use 2 level teaspoons of arrowroot to each cup of water, heat, stirring until thick. Animal forage: Leaves can be fed to goats, cows and donkeys; tubers can be cooked and fed to pigs. Mulch plant: Arrowroot provides an excellent on-going source of mulch.   Available from Green Harvest: October 2008 Home Seed Index Index of Rare Food Plants Copyright © 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008  Green Harvest No part of this website may be reproduced without permission of the owner