Oca, Manzana

Oca information and growing instructions

Manzana is an heirloom variety originally from La Paz, Bolivia.  The name is the Spanish word for apple, probably referring to its flavor.

Culinary Traits

Manzana is just barely sweet and barely tart, tasting closer to a potato than an apple to me, but there is just enough difference that you wouldn’t mistake it for a potato.  The flesh is moderately firm and remains yellow when cooked.

Agronomic Traits

Manzana plants are fairly compact and tend to sprawl later than most varieties.  Tubers are produced on stolons of intermediate length and are typically uniform in shape.  The tuberization photoperiod is about 12 hours, the same as most heirloom varieties.  Average yield is 0.9 pounds.  Maximum tuber length is 3.9 inches and average tuber length is 2.1 inches.  Average tuber count is 25.  There are roughly equal numbers of large and small tubers with this variety. 

Manzana is a poor flowerer with a short-styled flower, flowering from late June to early September here.

What you will receive

Tubers

You will receive the stated number of tubers, packaged in a wax envelope. We grade tubers by passing them through a grate. Small tubers are those that won’t fall through a 1/3″ grate, but that will fall through a 1 inch grate. Medium/large tubers are those that will not fall through a 1 inch grate.

Seeds

Seeds are open pollinated. Because oca is a polyploid hybrid, the seeds will not grow true to type. They are suitable for use in breeding or conservation efforts and could be used to select varieties similar to the parent type.