Yac?n

While surfing the net looking for information regarding Lucuma, I came across a tuber crop from South America. Smallanthus sonchifolius

Common Names: Yac?n, arboloco, j?quima, jiquimilla, aricoma

And although I know it grows here in the Dominican Republic ( or did at one time )**, I do not know what the locals call it here.





Does anyone in the forum know the local name of this plant? anyone have available?

Its not planted by seed.

** Before the second world war an Italian agronomist called Mario Calvino introduced Yacon to europe, He met Smallanthus sonchifolius by chance, while he was working in the Dominican Republic.

So obviously at one time this plant at least was growing here at one time. I wonder if there are any left. they almost became extinct in the 80s, but are now becoming popular.

any help?

Yac?n (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is not the same thing as Yuca (Manihot esculenta) which is really Cassava. Yak?n is a sweet crispy root, kind of like an apple , its called ground apple in some places. Yac?n is being processed to make Yac?n flour, and Syrup, The syrup is low calorie sweetener and has a low glycemic index.

Here is a picture of the common "Yuca" or Cassava ( Manihot esculenta ):



its very different from Yac?n ( Smallanthus sonchifolius )



I am starting to believe that this plant has died out in the Dominican Republic.
no one I have shown it to, has ever seen this plant.

Here are some Yac?n products now being commercialized in other countries.







Yac?n looks like it could be an interesting future crop in the DR, from what I have been able to learn so far is that it tolerates a wide range of soils, ( after all the natives once cultivated it here ).

If anyone comes across this plant please post or PM me, thanks

POPNYChic said:

that looks like ?ame moreso than yuca....but then again i doubt thats what it is. never seen or heard of it.

Click to expand...

The root does look a lot like ?ame, ?ame is from the Dioscoreaceae family ( think Yam, and sweet potato ).