California manroot (Marah fabaceus)

California manroot (Marah fabaceus)
Wikimedia Commons — Calibas — CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

At a glance

Lifecycle
Perennial (hardy)
Exposure
Full sun
Frost limit
−12.2 °C

Cultivation

Requires a rich soil and abundant moisture. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c. A climbing plant, supporting itself by means of tendrils.

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in pots of rich soil in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 2 weeks at 20°c. Put 2 or 3 seeds in each pot and thin to the best plant. Grow on fast and plant out after the last expected frosts.

Edible uses

Used as a vegetable. We do not know if the fruit, root or the leaves are used[K].

Material uses

The crushed seeds, mixed with oil, have been rubbed on the hair to prevent baldness.

Habitat

Banks and slopes below 750 metres in coastal strand and mixed evergreen forests.

Native range

South-western N. America - California.

Scientific synonyms Marah fabacea