Oca/Tuberous Wood Sorrel (Oxalis tuberosa) - XXL Planting Tubers - The Colorful Gold of the Incas

On orders of €50 or more, you can choose a portion of Oca tubers as a free gift!

Colorful, ruffled tubers that glow like small gemstones? This fascinating vegetable is guaranteed to turn heads! The Oca is not only a true rarity in our gardens but, after the potato, the most important root vegetable in the Andes. If you are looking for a new, refreshing taste experience, you will find it with this tuberous vegetable: the spectacularly colored tubers in shades of red, pink, yellow, white, and orange combine a crunchy texture with a fine, lemony-fresh aroma that becomes wonderfully sweet and nutty when cooked – exactly as the Incas cherished them thousands of years ago.

Included in delivery: One portion of tubers (70 grams+, 1-3 pieces)

Note: Each tuber in the picture weighs around 70-90 grams.

After receiving the tubers, store them in a dark and cool place (3-10°C). It is best to pack them in sand. This should not be dry, but also not too damp.

Growth & Appearance

• Lifespan: Perennial, but usually cultivated as an annual here, as the tubers are harvested in late autumn.

• Growth height: Grows as a bushy, compact plant and reaches a height of about 30 to 50 cm.

• Habit: Ground-covering and cushion-like with fleshy, red-tinged stems and succulent green, clover-like leaves. It also makes for wonderful decorative underplanting.

• Flowering & Fruit: In summer, small, bright yellow funnel-shaped flowers appear. However, the real highlight grows hidden underground: the colorful, shiny tubers with their striking, furrowed structure.

• Ingredients: Oca belongs to the wood sorrel family and contains – just like rhubarb or sorrel – oxalic acid, which gives it its refreshing acidity when raw. Those sensitive to oxalic acid should preferably enjoy them cooked.

Good to know

• Other names: In addition to the common name Oca, the plant is known in German as tuberous wood sorrel or Peruvian wood sorrel. In the indigenous Quechua language, it is called Uqa. In New Zealand, it is marketed as New Zealand Yam or simply Yam, while in Colombia and Venezuela it can be found under the names Hibia or Cuiba.

• Origin & History: Its home is in the rugged highland regions of the Andes (especially Peru and Bolivia), where it was intensively cultivated as early as the pre-Columbian era – long before the arrival of Europeans. For the indigenous peoples and later the Incas, the Oca was an essential staple food that contributed significantly to food security. It is an extreme adaptation artist that grows at altitudes of up to 4,000 meters and copes easily with cool, rainy summers as well as poor, stony soils. The plant reached Europe in the mid-19th century and New Zealand a little later. While it remained an absolute rarity in Europe for a long time, it is extremely popular in New Zealand today and can be found in every supermarket.

• Curiosities from its homeland: In South America, there is a traditional method: after harvesting, the Oca tubers are placed in the blazing sun for a few days. This process is called "curing." This breaks down the acid contained within and makes the tubers significantly sweeter.

Usage

• In the kitchen: An absolute all-rounder! Raw and sliced, the tubers add a crunchy texture and a lemony kick to any salad. Boiled, fried, or as roasted vegetables, they develop their soft, sweet, potato-like aroma. Tip: The tart leaves can also be used as a decorative salad topping.

Location, care & other important things

• Location: Sunny to partial shade. Oca loves cool and humid conditions in the summer – it does not tolerate hot, extremely dry locations very well.

• Care: Cultivation is very straightforward. It needs loose soil and regular watering. The most important thing is patience: Oca is a short-day plant. Tuber formation only begins late in the year (from September onwards) when the days become significantly shorter. You can hill up the stems in autumn, as you would with potatoes, to increase the yield.

• Harvest & Overwintering: Harvest as late as possible. It is only time to dig up the tubers once the first hard frost kills off the leaves above ground. Those who want to grow Oca again next year should store some of the tubers in a dark, cool, and frost-free place (e.g., in damp sand). In spring, these can then be replanted as "seed stock."

Planting out & Location

• Outdoors: Only after the Ice Saints (mid-May), when there is no longer a risk of late ground frosts.

• Tip for cultivation: Since the Oca needs as long a frost-free autumn as possible for a rich tuber formation, it is recommended to plant it directly in large containers (at least 10 to 15 liters) or raised beds. If the first frosts threaten at the end of October, you can move the container to a sheltered house wall or into the greenhouse. This allows the growth phase to be extended by valuable weeks.

Traditional recipe: Baked Oca, Andean style (Oca al Horno)

In the Andes, Oca is often prepared very simply to bring out its natural flavor. This traditional recipe uses the "curing" process in the sun to make the tubers extra sweet.

Ingredients:

• 500 g Oca tubers (unpeeled)

• 1 to 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• Coarse sea salt

• Accompaniment: A mild, fresh cheese (e.g., Queso Fresco, or alternatively feta or cottage cheese) and a slightly spicy chili salsa.

Preparation:

1. The "curing": Place the freshly harvested tubers in a sunny spot (e.g., on the windowsill) for 3 to 5 days.

2. Thoroughly scrub the sun-ripened tubers under running water. Keep the skin on, as it gets a great texture when baked.

3. Toss the tubers in a bowl with the oil so they are lightly coated.

4. Spread them out on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (top/bottom heat) for about 20 to 30 minutes. The Oca is done when it gives slightly under pressure and the skin starts to become slightly wrinkled.

5. Sprinkle the warm tubers with coarse sea salt and serve traditionally with the fresh cheese.