Maca, bot.: Lepidium peruvianum
Botanical name: Lepidium peruvianum
Other name: Lepidium meyenii
Maca
Healing power:
The active substances of Maca, it is said, work
- in case of infertility,
- as natural anabolica,
- to strengthen memory,
- to increase vitality.
In Peru it is said,
- Maca is used by women for sexual stimulation and
- by men for potency-enhancing.
How to use:
The best effectiveness the roots have got, which are used raw or dried as powder. They have to be digged in July.
The leaves are used as well, but the medicinal effectiveness is not so good.
The whole plant tastes like cress.
You use the plant in salads or in quark on bread.
Description of the plant:
Maca grows perennial and can withstand frost. Its natural habit are the Peruvian Andes. Already the Inkas did know Maca for cultivation.
The plant reaches a height up to 30 cm, has got frizzy leaves and gets white flowers.
The location should be sunny to halfshady. Maca grows in a normal , not to dry, well fertilized soil.
Maca mit Wurzelknolle/ Maca with roots
Maca: Samen/seeds
Propagation:
Start seeds in March directly in rows in your garden. I sowed Maca on 21th March 2005 and on 4th April 2005 the seeds germinated.
Young Macaplants are very often battled by the flea.
To protect the plants against the flea, hoe the soil and water the plants. Fleas don´t like moist soil.
You also can lay blooming twigs of broom on the plants. The stink of the flowers drive them away.
Another enemy of Maca is the vole.
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