Wild mashua seed, 10 seeds

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Wild mashua seed is very difficult to produce in quantity and is not available every year.

Wild mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum ssp. silvestre) or mashua silvestre, is a presumed wild ancestor of the domesticated mashua.  Wild mashua is as edible as domesticated mashua, but produces tubers that reach a maximum thickness of about 1/2 inch.  Plants are smaller than domesticated mashua, but of the same general form.  We only offer wild mashua as seeds, but there are a few cultivars available from other suppliers as tubers.

Wild mashua tubers are not a particularly exciting edible, although the leaves make a nice salad green, just as with domesticated mashua.  It may be useful in mashua breeding programs, although we’re not aware of any unique resistance or climate tolerance that is found in wild mashua at this point.

These seeds are open pollinated, collected from two varieties of mashua silvestre (wild mashua).  Mashua is tetraploid, so even self-pollinated seedlings will be genetically distinct, but they are generally pretty similar to one another.

Mashua germination is slow and irregular, requiring 2-6 months.  Seedlings develop rapidly once they break the surface of the soil.

Packet details:

10 seeds.  Expected germination rate is about 60% in six months, but may be greater if seeds are given more time to germinate.