Maca

Lepidium meyenii

A small radish-like root tamed above 13,000 feet, dried and stored for years; it needs cold, bright, cool-summer air.

Type: root crop · annual vegetables, herbs and grains
Hardiness: zones 3 to 8
Light: full sun
Size: about 0.5 ft tall, 1 ft wide
Harvest: June to August
From: Junín plateau, Peru
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.

Good for: food.

Native to: Andean highlands. Hardy in zones 3 to 8.

The story

Maca was tamed on the Junín plateau of Peru, above 13,000 feet, where almost nothing else will crop. Herders traded the dried roots down the mountains for lowland foods, and Inca tribute lists recorded it.

Planting

Full sun, cool summers and well-drained soil. Sow in spring where it is to grow.

Growing

It hugs the ground and takes frost easily. It fails where summers are hot.

Harvest and use

Pull the small roots after seven to nine months. Dry them in the sun for weeks, then boil for porridge or grind to flour.

What to watch for

Roots stay tiny in warm climates. It is traditionally eaten cooked, not raw.

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More annual vegetables, herbs and grains

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home