Achocha - lost crop of the Incas
Achocha was one of the food crops grown by the Incas that never became popular in modern times. But achocha is an easy and attractive plant to grow, providing food, screening and a talking point for your garden.
The star of the show!
Achocha is such a wonderful plant that it's the star of its own episode of the Alternative Kitchen Garden show! Grow your own achocha
Achocha (Cyclanthera species) is a member of the Curcubit family of plants, like squash and cucumbers. It's an easily grown climber which will make an interesting screen in your garden. The flowers are small, but loved by hoverflies (beneficial garden insects) and achocha produces a prolific harvest of fruits in late summer.Read more about growing achocha in your garden.
Achocha Photos
Achocha leaves
Achocha seeds
Achocha fruits
Achocha harvest
Achocha flowering and setting fruit
More achocha fruits
Achocha growing at Ryton Organic Gardens
The Heritage Seed Library
In the UK, one of the main sources for achocha is Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library. The HSL has seeds for Lady's Slipper achocha.
You have to join the HSL to get hold of any of their seeds - but your membership fee entitles you to choose 6 packets of seed from their catalog. You usually get a 7th packet free as well.
You have to join the HSL to get hold of any of their seeds - but your membership fee entitles you to choose 6 packets of seed from their catalog. You usually get a 7th packet free as well.
Plants for a Future
Edible, medicinal and useful plants for a healthier world
The Plants for a Future project aims to develop lesser known food and non-food plants into useful crops and protect our environment. The online PFAF database is a valuable resource for everyone interested in plants, although for browsing I prefer to read the book (see the Amazon Plexo for more details).
Read the PFAF entry for achocha.
Read the PFAF entry for achocha.
Real Seeds
The best vegetable seeds for the kitchen garden
Achocha seeds are most often available from companies who supply heirloom/ heritage vegetable seeds.
One such company in the UK is Real Seeds, who supply open pollinated vegetables suitable for the UK climate so that kitchen gardeners can save their own seeds for future use.
Real Seeds supplies seeds for Fat Baby achocha and its close relative the exploding cucumber.
One such company in the UK is Real Seeds, who supply open pollinated vegetables suitable for the UK climate so that kitchen gardeners can save their own seeds for future use.
Real Seeds supplies seeds for Fat Baby achocha and its close relative the exploding cucumber.
How To Grow Achocha
A quick guide for the time poor!
Achocha is a climbing plant that is related to melons and cucumbers. An easy plant to grow, achocha was one of the food plants of the Incas and provides plentiful edible fruits in late summer. A vigorous climber, it makes a very good screen and provides a talking point for your garden.How to Grow Achocha
Have you discovered this lost crop? Let me know!
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tarap
Thanks for the informative post. Learn more about the Incas and their culture on the online encyclopedia at http://www.encyclopaedicnet.com Posted April 15, 2008 |
Read all about it!
The Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-known Plants of the Andes With Promise for Worldwide Cultivation by National Research Council (U. S.)
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Growing Unusual Vegetables: Weird And Wonderful Vegetables And How to Grow Them by Simon Hickmott
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Plants for a Future: Edible & Useful Plants for a Healthier World by Ken Fern
An encyclopedia of lesser-known useful plants, fro more...0 points
Food Plants of the World by Ben-Erik Van Wyk
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Achocha links
- Caigua - Cyclanthera pedata - Caihua - Cyclanthera pedata - Achocha - Cyclanthera pedata - Achoccha - Cyclanthera pedata - Korila - Cyclanthera pedata
- Indepth referenced information on Caigua - Cyclanthera pedata in the Raintree Online Plant Database
- You Grow Girl: Gardening for the People
- Joshua's journal
- PFAF
- The entry for achocha in PFAF's database of useful plants
- How To Grow Achocha | How To Do Things.com
- Add a little history to your garden by planting achocha, one of the food plants of the Incas. It's an easy-to-grow climber that provides plentiful fruits in late summer.
- Growing achocha
- The home of Emma Cooper's organic gardening blog and articles and The Alternative Kitchen Garden podcast
- The Gardening Guild
- The Gardening Guild, dedicated to the organic practices and philosophies of natural gardening
- Real Seeds
- The Real Seed Catalogue - The best vegetable seeds for the Kitchen Garden - supplies seeds for 'Fat Baby' achocha and its close relative, the exploding cucumber.
- Heritage Seed Library
- Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library is one of the main sources of achocha seeds in the UK.
