Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Reconnected
I've no idea what went wrong but everything is back the way it was. I wrote a post yesterday, which was sunny and calm, about pruning the japonica - the height of excitement I'm sure you'll agree, and how trying that was. Japonica is a gnarley, tortuously growing, spikey shrub that hates to be pruned and does everything it can to protect itself from the loppers and saw, including repeatedly stabbing the pruner in the scalp with its long thorns. I lost some blood during the assault but did succeed, eventually, in felling the well-armed thing then dragging its branches away, puncturing my hands in several places as I did so, and clearing a big area for the young apple tree I planted next to the japonica last year, to spread its (thorn-less) branches. I didn't get a picture but when I was clearing some nearby raspberry canes, I unearthed a clutch of anu tubers and here they are. Two shots, one dirty and the other cleaned to show what they look look individually.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
I just had an interesting experience because of your post, Robert. I thought your photograph of anu tubers looked more like yams and did a google search of images to check. While I did get some pictures of anu tubers, I also got a heap of pornographic images involving anuses. Perhaps it is also a common term for some unusual acts?
I'm afraid your tubers still look more like yams....
That'd be a bit of an early-morning shock for you Dave!
Here's a safe-for-work-and-home link to information about the tuber :-)
http://www.potager.dk/index.php?id=62&la=en
From Plants for a Future database:
The tuber is considered to be an anaphrodisiac in the Andes, reducing sexual desire. Many men, therefore, refuse to eat it, whilst recommending it for use by women![196]. Clinical trials have indicated a reduction of up to 45% in some male hormones when the tuber forms a considerable part of the diet, but no loss in fertility has been observed[196].
[196]Popenoe. H. et al Lost Crops of the Incas
The perfect food of armies!
"Considered to be an anaphrodisiac in the Andes" where as down here at sea level, the opposite seems to be true! (pure conjecture really - I don't eat them)
Interesting observations though Nick and combined with Dave's 'findings' I'm beginning to think anu will be my Tuber of the Week. Jabba was asking about them too. I wonder what he knows? Perhaps he's a long-time user'.
hi bOb .. don't need any help in that area and thanks for thinking of me. I agree that they look like yams
Hi jabba - I don't think you read the post closely enough mate. If you don't need 'em, you've already achieved the state they create perhaps but hey, I don't want to provoke a squabble with you on-line. You'd make me look silly!
Post a Comment