About

Manihot esculenta (cassava) is an herbaceous perennial in the Euphorbiaceae, most often grown under glass in the UK as a conservatory or greenhouse specimen. It appears under many regional names including tapioca, yuca and manioc. In UK cultivation it flowers from July to September. It is normally maintained as a greenhouse/conservatory plant rather than an outdoor border subject.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Cassava

About the genus

Manihot is a genus in the diverse milkspurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It was described as a genus in 1754.

Wikipedia contributors, "Manihot", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Manihot

In the garden

Manihot esculenta is an herbaceous perennial in the Euphorbiaceae and is usually cultivated under glass in the UK as a conservatory or greenhouse specimen. Known widely by names such as cassava, tapioca, yuca and manioc, it is treated as a plant for controlled environments where its seasonal flowering can be observed. Its recognised UK flowering period runs from July to September, which is when plants kept under glass will produce their most obvious reproductive display. In the British climate it is typically accommodated in a conservatory or heated greenhouse so that seasonal development can be managed. Positioning where the plant receives good light under cover will allow it to complete its flowering period in mid to late summer; many growers keep it as an individual specimen where its seasonal form and flowering are most visible. Routine greenhouse husbandry—monitoring ventilation through warm months and avoiding prolonged cold drafts—helps protect a conservatory specimen over winter. Use Manihot esculenta as a singular focal plant in a conservatory or large greenhouse bay rather than scattered through open borders. The July–September flowering run is the primary moment to assess its performance and flowering habit under UK glass, and that seasonal display will define its role in a planted collection.

Plant details

Manihot esculenta size, habit and characteristics

Plant type

Herbaceous Perennial, Conservatory Greenhouse