Sechium edule – Native Plant Search

Native Range

A native plant refers to a species of plant that has naturally evolved and grown in a particular geographic area without any human intervention or introduction. These plants have adapted to the local climate, soil, and ecological conditions over an extended period of time, often thousands of years. Because of this co-evolution with their specific environment, native plants have developed characteristics that make them well-suited to the local ecosystem and provide essential resources for local wildlife.

Native plants play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of an area. They provide food and habitat for native wildlife, support pollinators like bees and butterflies, and contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem. Additionally, native plants often require fewer resources like water and fertilizers compared to non-native or exotic plants that may not be well-suited to the local environment.

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Native Continent

Northern America

Mexico, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave,

Natural Habitat

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruits can vary in flavour, from bland or starchy to sweetish, depending on the cultivar. They can be boiled or baked as a vegetable. They can be mixed with lime juice and used as a substitute for apples in pies. Fruits of bland cultivars are used industrially as food fillers for pastes and sauces. Because of their low energy value, the fruits are gaining importance as a dietary food in hospitals and nursing homes, and are also considered good baby food. The fruit is normally used when immature and before the seed has enlarged. The obovoid fruit is up to 18cm long. Seed - cooked. Nut-like in flavour. The mature, protruding seeds are considered by some to be the best part of this fruit. When deep-fried they taste remarkably like french-fried potatoes. The seeds are a good source of protein. Tuber - raw or cooked. They are boiled, baked, fried and candied in syrup. The starch-rich tuber can weigh up to 5 kilos. Young leaves and stem tips - cooked as a vegetable. Eaten like asparagus. A good source of iron, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. Flowers.