Plectranthus esculentus

Tsenza is a true African Heirloom and is considered one of the lost African crops.
Arne Verhoef has been collecting and growing Tsenza or the African potato for a number of years now. He is well known in organic and permaculture circles and is a massive supporter of indigenous foods and a vast amount of credit needs to go to him as a curator of this rare vegetable crop.

Livingseeds is honoured that he has allowed us to be the first company to share this with the South African gardening public. This is your chance to be able to grow and increase the national stocks of this amazing vegetable.

Tsenza used to be very widely grown and cultivated across the country. However with the introduction of modern agricultural practices, it's use and cultivation has fallen away. Tsenza is well acclimated to numerous soil types and growing conditions. SANBI lists this as a DDD (Data deficient) plant and although well known botanically, there is very little information on it's cultivation status.

So why is Tsenza so interesting? Well here are a few facts that should really interest you.

• It is THE MOST nutritious tuber vegetable of all tuber vegetables.
  
• It is 80% starch.
  
• Contains 13 essential amino acids.
  
• Has many other important vitamins and minerals like Calcium, Iron and Vitamin C etc.
  
• It can be eaten both raw and cooked.
  

It is generally used much like potatoes and has a better flavour raw than potatoes do. They can be added to meals like the common potato, eaten raw, fried like chips or roasted with Sunday lunch.

5 Fingers