This perennial spurge is a shrub with woody stems. The edible tubers, which can weigh up to five kilograms, are thickened roots. The tubers contain toxic hydrocyanic acid, which is destroyed by cooking.
The plants require open, sunny locations. It has low soil requirements and is easy to look after. Yields are very high, ranging from 3 to 15 tonnes per hectare. However, the tuber is regarded as food for the poor; it is therefore unpopular and is only cooked when there is no rice available.
In South America, the cassava root is known as ‘manioca’, ‘cassava’ or ‘yuca’, and in its ground form as ‘tapioca’.
Distribution
Brazil, now having a wide distribution throughout the world’s tropical regions
Use
an important staple food; the tubers are boiled, fried and ground (tapioca); the milky sap is used to flavour sauces; the leaves are eaten as a vegetable