Yacon, Late Red

Once upon a time, we had only two varieties of yacon, both of which lacked names.  Both were tall with tan tubers.  One flowered relatively early; the other flowered a little later and had some red markings on the attached end of the tubers.  Based upon these characteristics, we called them Early White and Late Red.  As we collected additional varieties of yacon, ‘Late Red’ became something of a misnomer, as we now have varieties that are both later and redder.  But in the interest of not confusing things further, we’ve stuck with the name.

Late red is a tall and primitive looking variety, with wild traits like deeply serrated leaves.  Stems are red and tubers are tan with red markings.  The flesh is light orange, becoming a little darker with extended storage.

Late Red is a very poor producer of true seed and late to flower at about 185 days.  Not a very promising variety for breeding.

What you will receive:

Rhizome

You will receive the stated number of rhizome pieces, packed in damp peat.  You should keep packets refrigerated and check them periodically to make sure that the exposed cuts are not molding. If mold develops, cut back to clean flesh and plant or pot as soon as possible. Rhizome does not store well, so it is always better to plant it than to store it if you can.

Seeds

Seeds are open pollinated. Because yacon 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.