Anredera cordifolia
Madeira Vine
a perennial woody member of the Anredera genus in the family Basellaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Basellaceae
- Genus
- Anredera
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Woodiness
- woody
- Growth rate
- vigorous
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Root - cooked. We were supplied this plant by a friend who said that the root is edible. We have not seen any reports on its edibility. The raw root is crisp and pleasant when first put in the mouth, but soon degenerates into a mucilaginous mass described by some people as 'like eating catarrh'[K]. When well baked, the root loses this quality and is quite pleasant to eat[K]. Leaves cooked. Used as a spinach[2].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Climber
Environment
- Range
- S. America - Southern Brazil to Northern Argentina.
- Habitat
- Not known
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerances
- drought
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - we have no information on this plant, but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in the spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Softwood cuttings. Division. Dig up the tubers at any time from late autumn to early spring. Store them in a cool but frost-free place and either pot them up in the greenhouse in early spring or plant them directly outside in late spring.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a well-drained humus-rich soil and a position in full sun or good indirect light[1]. Established plants are drought tolerant[1]. We have very little information on this plant. The top growth is almost certainly not frost-hardy, though plants have continued growing in a polyhouse when other sensitive plants have died back as a result of frost damage[K]. The roots are likely to be hardier and, especially if well mulched, should survive most winters outdoors in the milder areas of the country. They are unlikely to survive sharp or persistent frosts. It should be possible to harvest the roots in the autumn after the top growth has been killed by frost and then store them in a cool but frost-free place for the winter, planting out in late spring (perhaps starting them off in a greenhouse beforehand)[K]. A climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around the thin branches of other plants[K].
References
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Vegetables Macmillan Reference Books, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0 333 62640 0