Cassava

Manihot esculenta

vegetable

Cassava, also called yuca or manioc, is a fast-growing tropical woody shrub grown for its large, starchy storage roots - the source of tapioca and a dietary staple feeding hundreds of millions of people in the tropics. It is one of the most drought- and heat-tolerant food crops there is, producing a heavy harvest of calories on poor soil where little else thrives, which is why it is so important to food security. The plant grows 6 to 10 feet tall with handsome deeply-lobed leaves and is started from stem cuttings rather than seed. Critically, the raw root contains cyanide-producing compounds and is highly poisonous - it must be peeled and thoroughly cooked before eating. The young leaves are also eaten cooked in many cuisines.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Provider Bush Bean — A legume that fixes nitrogen on the lean soils cassava tolerates
• Beauregard Sweet Potato — A groundcover that shades the soil between the tall, open cassava shrubs

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Spider mites →

  The main hot-season pest - rinse the foliage and support natural predators; worst on drought-stressed plants

• Cassava mosaic virus →

  A viral disease spread by whiteflies and infected cuttings - start with clean, healthy cutting material and control whiteflies

• Whiteflies →

  Watch leaf undersides, use yellow sticky traps, and treat hot spots with insecticidal soap or oil

🌾 Harvest & storage

Cassava roots are ready about 8 to 12 months after planting, when the plant has made a good frame; many growers leave them in the ground and dig as needed, since the roots deteriorate within a few days of harvest. Lift carefully, then peel, cut, and cook the roots thoroughly before eating - this is essential, not optional (see the safety note). To propagate, save and replant sections of the woody stems. Bitter cassava types need more processing (peeling, soaking, and long cooking) than sweet types, but ALL cassava must be cooked.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Cassava is an energy-dense root at about 160 calories per 100 g, mostly starch (including resistant starch), with fiber, a useful dose of vitamin C, and some potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6. Cooked, it is boiled and mashed, fried like potatoes, or processed into tapioca and flour - a gluten-free staple - and the young leaves are cooked as a protein-rich green in many cuisines.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

Raw cassava root and its peelings contain cyanide-producing compounds and are highly poisonous - eating them raw can be fatal. Cassava is safe ONLY after proper preparation: peel, cut, and thoroughly cook (boil and discard the cooking water) before eating. Bitter types require extra soaking and processing. Never eat cassava raw or undercooked.