Tropaeolum patagonicum -

Family:	Tropaeolaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.15
Synonyms:
Range:	Southern S. America - Chile. Argentina.

Tropaeolum patagonicum () is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.15m . It has a hardness rating of 0and is quite resiliant to frost.
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by

Soil Information

Tropaeolum patagonicum will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
Tropaeolum patagonicum prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Tropaeolum patagonicum should not be planted in shady areas.

Mud or open wet grassland, especially in seasonally dry shallow lakes, between latitudes 42 and 54°south[69].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position in a well-drained humus-rich neutral or slightly acidic loam[200]. This species is unlikely to be hardy in the colder areas of the country, but the tubers can probably be lifted in the autumn after the plant has been cut back by frost, stored in a cool but frost-free place over the winter and planted out in April[200]. A climbing plant, it supports itself by twisting its leaf stalks around other plants etc[219]. Sometimes cultivated for its edible root in S. America[69]. The caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly can be a nuisance and often cause considerable damage to the leaves[219].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Tuber - cooked[46, 61, 105]. They are used like potatoes[177].

• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 0/5
None known

Propagation

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[200]. Pot them up into individual pots and place them in light shade in a frame until they are established. Plant out in early summer.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of Tierra del Fuego.
Moore. D. M.
Author: Moore. D. M.
Rating:
Publisher : Standard work for this part of S. America. Excellent details of habitat and a few notes on plant uses.
Date of Publication : 1983

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