Andean cool-climate root crop with shamrock-like leaves and clusters of small yellow flowers, producing colourful red, pink, yellow, or orange tubers below ground in autumn.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 7–10 | −17.8 °C to 4.4 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H4 | −10 °C to −5 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 8–9 | −7 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 2–5 | −10 °C to 10 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Native to the high Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and northern Chile — historically the second most important root crop of the Inca after potato
- Edible tubers — tangy lemon flavour fresh, sweet and starchy when sun-dried for a few days
- Forms tubers only as day length shortens — needs frost-free conditions until November in the Northern Hemisphere
- Cool-climate alternative to potato in tightly defined growing windows
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Oca against your zones