Plukenetia volubilus (sacha inchi)

[buddyguygreen]

Anyone growing it, how bushy does it get, i know they get like 6 feet tall but does it turn bushy? Does it like full sun or partial shade better.

[fruitlovers]

Anyone growing it, how bushy does it get, i know they get like 6 feet tall but does it turn bushy? Does it like full sun or partial shade better.

Bushy? It's a vine. Can grow full sun or partial shade. Think they make more pods in full sun.

[palologrower]

have one plant and if I gave it more vertical growth, it'd go way past 6 feet I bet.  right now if I were to staighthen out the main vine stalk, I bet it's be more like 15.  but all I concerned that it's a healthy vine and produces seeds for me to eat! 

[Mike T]

I had better figure out how to eat them fast as my little vine is covered in pods.

[fruitlovers]

They need to be roasted  before eating. Hard part is cracking them all open.

[Mike T]

Thanks Oscar and the vine looks to be very productive and it thrives on neglect.

[fruitlovers]

Thanks Oscar and the vine looks to be very productive and it thrives on neglect.

Yes, once it gets going the vine thrives on neglect.

[buddyguygreen]

all right, cant wait now. Mine is about 4 feet, how long can you estimate time to fruiting 

Also whats the best soil for them wet/dry organic matter or wet/dry sand.

[fruitlovers]

all right, cant wait now. Mine is about 4 feet, how long can you estimate time to fruiting 

Also whats the best soil for them wet/dry organic matter or wet/dry sand.

Should fruit in a few months, maybe even weeks. Not sure what soil it likes best, but i think it's tolerant of a lot of different soil types.

[Mike T]

I think mine could be around 3 months and is growing in clay loam.It is a wintery 21c to 28c each day here now and only 3 dry days in the last 5 weeks or so.

[Finca La Isla]

It's pretty adaptable as far as soil is concerned.  We usually say that it can flower within 6 months.
Don't pick the pods until they are black.  The picked pods can be left out in the sun to dry more as this can facilitate the husking and shelling which is the only drawback, aside from the fact that you can't eat them raw.  Roasted or pan fried they are delicious and a supposed superfood.
Peter

[FlyingFoxFruits]

try to grow this one in pots, I believe nematodes can tear them up in FL.

I had some that died.....but I'll tell u a funny story...

i had a guy contact me a few years ago (he makes models of leaves for commercials, for instance, to help market Acai) he offered me $250 to send about 5 fresh leaves of inca peanut!

i couldn't believe it...and at first I felt bad, and told him I'd do it for $60...but he insisted that I take the full amount.

it was a bit of a challenge because my plant had already died.  I had to track down someone who I gave cuttings to the year before.  I was so happy they kept them alive!  I was able to get the leaves to the artist, so he could complete his project.

I never heard from him again, but it was an interesting way to earn a couple hundred bucks (I doubt that will happen again, but I was happy to be the only guy who had the leaves, and was happy he found me...through the forum none the less!  )

[buddyguygreen]

alright really cant wait now, 5 months away hopefully sooner. whats the coldest you think it could take about freezing a little above

[FlyingFoxFruits]

alright really cant wait now, 5 months away hopefully sooner. whats the coldest you think it could take about freezing a little above

freeze seemed to hurt them bad, but maybe I'm not remembering properly?

i think to be safe don't let them get chilly and below 35F, with cold dry wind.

i think I had some in the greenhouse that did ok, but it got down to the low 30's without really freezing.

[fruitlovers]

try to grow this one in pots, I believe nematodes can tear them up in FL.

I had some that died.....but I'll tell u a funny story...

i had a guy contact me a few years ago (he makes models of leaves for commercials, for instance, to help market Acai) he offered me $250 to send about 5 fresh leaves of inca peanut!

i couldn't believe it...and at first I felt bad, and told him I'd do it for $60...but he insisted that I take the full amount.

it was a bit of a challenge because my plant had already died.  I had to track down someone who I gave cuttings to the year before.  I was so happy they kept them alive!  I was able to get the leaves to the artist, so he could complete his project.

I never heard from him again, but it was an interesting way to earn a couple hundred bucks (I doubt that will happen again, but I was happy to be the only guy who had the leaves, and was happy he found me...through the forum none the less!  )

$50 per leaf?  I hope you sent him goldleaf? HAHA

[nullzero]

Anyone growing Plukenetia Huayllabambana? I bought some seeds from tradewindsfruit, this is the description they gave;

"A very recently discovered relative of the popular Inca Peanut. What makes this species noteworthy is its natural distribution at higher elevations than its more common relative, making it potentially much more tolerant of cool weather or frosts. Bears star shaped fruits with edible nuts that are larger than P. volubilis."

Seems like a better Plukenetia species to grow if the information is correct.

[gunnar429]

any reports of squirel activity from those who have/ have seen mature plants?

[Finca La Isla]

I haven't seen squirrels touch it. You can't really eat it raw, I guess they can't either.
Peter

[Luisport]

Anyone growing Plukenetia Huayllabambana? I bought some seeds from tradewindsfruit, this is the description they gave;

"A very recently discovered relative of the popular Inca Peanut. What makes this species noteworthy is its natural distribution at higher elevations than its more common relative, making it potentially much more tolerant of cool weather or frosts. Bears star shaped fruits with edible nuts that are larger than P. volubilis."

Seems like a better Plukenetia species to grow if the information is correct.

http://plukenetiahuayllabambana.blogspot.pt/

[buddyguygreen]

Im getting flowers on my Plukenetia volubilus now  can't wait to try them.

[Luisport]

INCI name
Plukenetia Huayllabambana seed oil

Description
The Sacha inchi Huayllabambana Oil is obtained from the seeds of the Plukenetia Huayllabambana plant that only grows in the Province of Amazonas in Peru. Its seeds are bigger than the seeds of the Sacha Inchi Plukenetia Volubilis, what allows to obtain an oil with a higher concentration of Alpha-linolenic acid (Omega 3) reaching between 55% to 58% becoming one of the most important sources of Omega 3 among all vegetable oils. Also contains Linoleic acid(Omega 6) and Oleic acid (Omega 9). It also has a high concentration of Tocopherols (Vitamin E) specifically gamma and delta Tocopherols. It has an ideal balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6 (2.3 to 1).

Uses
Multipurpose oil ideal for the cosmetics, food, nutritional supplement and pharmaceutical industries.

Cosmetic Uses
Anti-aging formulations, creams, lotions and emulsions for the skin, liquid soaps, and products for dried and damaged hair.

Benefits for Consumer
Antioxidant, emollient and skin and hair smoothing properties. Aids in the prevention of wrinkles and restores elasticity. PUFA and Tocopherols contents protect the cell membrane.

Food Uses
Due to its slightly nutty flavor it is ideal to be consumed directly or with salads and cooked vegetables. Also it can be used as an ingredient for different blends and dressings.

Benefits for Consumer
Contributes with reduction of blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Contributes to enhance immunological system. Excellent antioxidant. Has anti-inflammatory properties. http://www.agroindustriasosho.com/sachainchi.html

[Luisport]

ABSTRACT

Analysis was performed nutritional composition of seed of Plukenetia huayllabambana sp. nov., of two accessions from the Porvenir Agrarian Experimental Station of the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA) in the valley of Huallabamba, Rodríguez de Mendoza, province of Amazonas. There were moisture content, ash, protein, lipids, carbohydrates, fiber, fatty acids, magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium as AOAC, and content of phytosterols as Fierro et al. The results showed significant differences in fat content, protein and moisture. The higher fat content was 48,8% and 7,84% moisture in 02-A, while the higher protein content was 21,13% in 01-A. Found 44,06 mg/100 g iron, 38,78 zinc and 149,53 mg/100 g calcium in 01-A be significant differences and higher content (p< 0,05). Regarding 2492,00 mg/100 g magnesium is found in 02-A showing significant differences (p< 0,05). In oil 28,47% linoleic acid and 9,8% oleic acid showed 01-A, while 54% of linolenic acid showed 02-A being more content with significant differences(p< 0,05). Also found 208,48 mg/100 g of â-sitosterol in 01-A. The seeds have high protein and polyunsaturated fatty acid, great nutritional.

Key words: Oil, fatty acids, micronutrients proteins. http://www.scielo.org.pe/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1810-634X2013000100007

[Luisport]

... Omega-3 fatty acids, for some of us, are a mixed blessing. On one hand, they have insanely good health benefits: they reduce the risk of heart disease, they ease inflammation from arthritis and asthma and they may even help with depression, ADHD and Alzheimer's. On the other hand, for the longest time, the only way to get them has been from eating fish -- in particular, oily, fishy-tasting fish.

Recently, though, researchers from the Missouri Botanical Garden discovered that the seeds of Plukenetia huayllabambana, a plant that grows in northern Peru where it's known more familiarly as "Sacha Inchi" or "forest peanut" are also a reliable source of not just omega-3's, but their cousins omega-6 and omega-9.

And it tastes good! Well, at least according to Rainer Bussmann, who, along with his colleagues Ashley Glenn and Caroline Tellez, discovered the secret of Sacha Inchi during a series of lab experiments meant to uncover its nutritional properties.

"You can do two things," he explains. "You can roast it, and then it tastes very nutty, better than peanuts. It's an ideal snack; it helps to get the cholesterol down. Or you can make an oil and it tastes very nice, good for salads. It's an excellent alternative for people who don't want to eat fish. You don't want to watch the Super Bowl with fish oil pills." ... http://www.riverfronttimes.com/foodblog/2013/02/05/mobot-scientists-discover-tasty-that-is-non-fishy-new-source-of-omega-3s

[Future]

For the longest time flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds have supplied rich amounts of omega 3s.  Chia works well for me as flax is hypersensitive to spoilage once ground up (15 minutes at room temperature and it doesn't smell bad when rancid) and hemp....is hemp.  Chia is traditionally just soaked and swells in minutes, highly bioavailabile and raw.  Roasting generally alters oils into a less healthy form.  Low temperature (the magic 128F) of sacha Inchi might be useful).

[fruitlovers]

I haven't seen squirrels touch it. You can't really eat it raw, I guess they can't either.
Peter

Jim West told me that rodents at his place in Ecuador were eating all the Plukunetia. I forget now if he said they were squirrels or rats. BTW there is a giant version of Plukunetia but Jim told me they are very weedy and easily get out of control and kill whole trees they climb on.