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The Plant Report- Every Plant Has A Story


Thank you for listening to The Plant Report: Every Plant Has A Story. I am a plant nerd and avid gardener who loves to educate about the botanical world, medicinal plants, ethnobotany, and nature. If you like these episodes, please check out my other podcast, Sustainable World Radio. 

Mar 14, 2015

Chaya (Cnidoscolus chayamansa) commonly called Tree Spinach is a very nutritious plant with high protein, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins. Reaching 3 meters (10 feet high), Chaya has maple-shaped leaves that are delicious steamed or cooked. Chaya is resistant to disease and pests, is highly productive, and needs little inputs to thrive in both arid and rainy areas. A fast-growing perennial shrub, Chaya is easily propagated by stem cuttings.

To learn about Chaya, I spoke with Dr. Anabel Ford, director of the MesoAmerican Research Center. To hear Dr. Ford and some of the Mayan Forest Gardeners in a 2008 interview on Sustainable World Radio, click here.

 

Note: Chaya contains hydrocyanic glycosides, some people recommend cooking it before eating it.