Madia sativa
Molina.
Chile Tarweed, Coast tarweed
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(c) juliamarkey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by juliamarkey
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(c) Cat Chang, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Cat Chang
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(c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
Madia sativa is a ANNUAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in). It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Edible Uses
Oil. Seed - raw or cooked. Although quite small, the seed was a staple food for some native North American Indian tribes. Rich in oil, it can be roasted then ground into a powder and eaten dry, mixed with water, or combined with cereal flours. The seed was also used as piñole. The seed contains about 41% of a sweet edible oil, about 28% can be extracted from the seed in an oil press. Of a high quality, it can be used as a substitute for olive oil. The oil does not solidify until the temperature drops to -11°c.
Medicinal Uses
The seed is used in traditional medicine.
Distribution
S. America - Chile.
Where It Grows
NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (British Columbia), United States (Oregon, Washington, California) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Argentina (Mendoza, Chubut, Neuquén, Río Negro, Tierra del Fuego), Chile
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in any good garden soil. Prefers a deep open sharply drained soil in a sunny position. This species is sometimes cultivated in Europe for the oil in its seed. The flowers open in the morning or evening, closing when exposed to bright sunlight.
Propagation
Seed - sow in mid spring in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a couple of weeks.
Other Uses
Oil Oil. The seed is rich in an oil which is a good substitute for olive oil. It does not solidify until the temperature is lower than -11°c. A good lubricant, the oil is also used in soap making.
