Botanical atlas

Cassava

Manihot esculenta

Cassava has fed people longer than almost any other root in the Americas, first domesticated by indigenous farmers in the Amazon basin thousands of years ago and carried by them across the tropics long before European contact. Portuguese traders later brought it to Africa and Asia, where it took root so thoroughly that it now feeds more than 800 million people worldwide, standing behind only rice and maize as a source of dietary carbohydrates. Its roots are pounded into fufu, fermented into garri, or milled into the flour that becomes tapioca, while its leaves, always cooked well, appear as a hearty green vegetable in West and Central African kitchens. What made cassava so beloved was its stubbornness, a crop that would still yield a harvest from poor soil and drought when other plants had already failed.

In tradition.

Cassava has fed people longer than almost any other root in the Americas, first domesticated by indigenous farmers in the Amazon basin thousands of years ago and carried by them across the tropics long before European contact. Portuguese traders later brought it to Africa and Asia, where it took root so thoroughly that it now feeds more than 800 million people worldwide, standing behind only rice and maize as a source of dietary carbohydrates. Its roots are pounded into fufu, fermented into garri, or milled into the flour that becomes tapioca, while its leaves, always cooked well, appear as a hearty green vegetable in West and Central African kitchens. What made cassava so beloved was its stubbornness, a crop that would still yield a harvest from poor soil and drought when other plants had already failed.

Safety.

Cassava root and leaves contain compounds that release cyanide if eaten raw or undercooked, so they must always be peeled, soaked or fermented, and thoroughly cooked before eating. Poorly processed cassava eaten regularly has been linked to serious nerve damage and thyroid problems, so proper preparation matters every time.