Taxonomy & History

• Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
• Pachyrhizus erosus
• Relative to the Sweet Potato
• AKA chop suey potato (Hawaii), yam bean, Mexican Turnip (Mexico)
• Although it originated in North America, it is most popular in China

Physical Description

• Plant:
  • very attractive vine, which can twine up to 14 feet high or more.
• Leaves:
  • Deep green foliage
  • leaves have three leaflets
  • poisonous
• Flowers:
  • upright spikes of sweet pea-shaped purple or violet flowers in summer
• Fruit:
  • Bean pods develop
  • Ripe pods are poisonous
• Root:
  • The edible part is its enlarged taproot, which develops underground like a beet and tastes a little like a sweet water chestnut.
  • ugly, brown swollen taproot
  • heart-shaped

Growth Habits

• climbing annual vine
• grows as a vine; can also be grown as a trailing mound on the ground

Sources

Footnote	KSC	SWGB	WIKI
Title	True Jicama Seed #222	Sunset Western Garden Book	Pachyrhizus erosus
Author(s)	Kitazawa Seed Co.	Kathleen Brenzel	Wikipedia
Buy Now	Seed packet containing 20-25 seeds: $3.49
Copywrite	2011	8th Edition, 2007	2011