Practical
Plants

Tropaeolum leptophyllum

a perennial woody member of the Tropaeolum genus in the family Tropaeolaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Woodiness
woody
Height
1.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - cooked[1][3][6][7][2]. Large[4]. The tubers are only used in times of scarcity, when better flavoured food is not available[3].

Plant part
Root

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Climber

Environment

Range
S. America - Chile, Bolivia.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of the tubers in the autumn or spring. In cold winter areas the tubers can be harvested in the autumn after top-growth has died down and they can then be stored in a cool frost-free position until planting them out in the spring. Cuttings of basal stems in the spring[4]. Pot them up into individual pots and place them in light shade in a frame until they are established. Plant out in early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a lime-free soil[1] and a sunny position[4]. Prefers a soil of turfy loam and peat or sandy peat and leafmould[1]. Succeeds in soils of low and medium fertility[4]. The dormant plant is hardy to about -15°c[4]. A climbing plant, it supports itself by twisting its leaf stalks around other plants etc[5]. Closely related to T. polyphyllum, differing in its tubers and climbing habit[4]. The caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly can be a nuisance and often cause considerable damage to the leaves[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  5. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

    ↩1↩2

  6. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  7. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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