CHAYA
BY ECHO STAFF
Published
1987
DESCRIPTION
The
young leaves and thick terminal stems of chaya (Cnidoscolus chayamansa)
constitute a highly nutritious and tasty vegetable, when cooked. It
is widely adapted, easy to grow, and very high yielding. Chaya is
a succulent, slightly woody shrub up to three meters (10 feet) in
height, and 2 meters (6 1/2 feet) wide. The leaves and stems are smooth
and glabrous in one variety (Chaya mansa) and sparsely covered with
hairs that sting in another (Chaya brava). The leaves are palmately
cut into 3-5 lobes. The stem tips are broad and blunt, up to 2.5c,
(1 inch) in diameter, and may be very succulent. The flowers male
and female are borne in long petroed cymed. Seed pods and seeds have
not been described. The foliage contains variable amounts of a poison,
a glycoside of hydrocyanic acid, which is readily released as a gas
during cooking, thus rendering the cooked portion safe for eating.
USES
Chaya
should be used only as a cooked vegetable, It is marginally to very
poisonous when eaten raw. The young leaves, their petioles and under
portions of the stem are cut into pieces and then cooked like any
cooked, green leafed vegetable, that is, boiled or fried. Stir frying
is not adequate cooking. The entire plant can be ground, dried and
used as animal feed. Cooked chaya is one of the most valuable of green
leafed vegetable for it is high in protein, A,C, and B vitamins, and
in minerals, especially calcium and iron.
PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS
Chaya is tropical
in origin and grows best during hot weather. Its needs for water are
moderate. Once well established plants can stand a great deal of drought
or months of excess water. Since seeds are not produced, chaya is planted
from cuttings. Large, somewhat woody cuttings of 15 to 60 cm (6 to 24
inches), cut and planted upright or at a slant in damp but not water
soaked or flooded soil. Cuttings can often survive months without planting,
but can rot quickly if damp. It is advisable to water new chaya cuttings
infrequently until they are well rooted. Once established chaya is insect
and disease resistant, and grows vigorously with little attention. However,
the quantity and quality of foliage for use as vegetable can be increased
with heavy fertilization and regular watering.
The branch tips
and their leaves are cut as needed, with gloves as a precaution in the
case of Chaya brava. The foliage is used immediately or can be stored
a few days in a household refrigerator. The leaf blades, and if desired
the petioles and stems can be dried and ground to make a storable product.
Cook rapidly for a green vegetable.
ECHO'S EVALUATION
ECHO
recommends using only Chaya mansa as no precautions are needed in
harvesting and using it. Chaya is one of the best leafy vegetables
for the home garden and should be marketable as it becomes known.
Because of its high nutritional value, chaya is a great vegetable
in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.
Cuttings
of Chaya mansa can be obtained from ECHO. There are few dependable
seed sources.
ECHO,
