Cassava – CMC 40

CMC 40 is a cassava variety developed by a Brazilian breeding institution.  It was selected specifically with drought tolerance in mind.  This variety is a rugged producer, providing a heavy crop in harsh conditions where other varieties struggle.  Two years ago we found this to have high quality, non-bitter flesh.  This year we were disappointed when roots harvested in January had some bitterness to the flesh.  At this point we don’t know why this discrepancy existed between years.  If one intends to ferment and make flour this bitterness is irrelevant.  If one wishes to have a delicious fresh eating cultivar, we may encourage you to look at our other offerings.  The sheer productivity and ruggedness of this variety is why we want to continue to offer this variety despite inconsistency in quality.  Please note that bitterness in cassava tracks with HCN/cyanide content and research this topic for proper preparation methods.

We mail thick 5 cuttings with densely packed nodes. Due to the variability of plant growth at different times of year, sometimes only thinner cuttings are available.  In these cases we will compensate by including some extras.  In central and north Florida, cassava typically needs to be planted by April to get a good yield within that growing season.  Cuttings ordered out of that season can be grown out by the customer to yield more planting material for future plantings.  Manihot esculenta.