Agriculture in Mesoamerica - Domesticated Plants

Domesticated Plants

A list of Mesoamerican cultivars and staples:

  1. Maize* - domesticated from teosinte grasses in southern Mexico)
  2. Squash* (Cucurbita spp.) - pumpkins, zucchini, acorn squash, butternut squash, others
  3. Pinto bean - "painted/speckled" bean; nitrogen-fixer traditionally planted in conjunction with the "two sisters", maize and squash, to help condition soil; runners grew on maize
  4. Tomato*
  5. Potato*
  6. Avocado*
  7. Cacahuate* (Arachis hypogaea)
  8. Chicle* (Manilkara chicle) - sap made into chewing gum
  9. Chili peppers* - many varieties
  10. Cacao*
  11. Vanilla
  12. Mora (Rubus blackberry)
  13. Rubus glaucus
  14. Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) - various cultivars
  15. Pineapple - cultivated extensively
  16. Nopales* - stem segments of Opuntia species, such as Opuntia ficus-indica
  17. Tunas* - fruits of Opuntia species
  18. Jícama* (Pachyrhizus erosus)
  19. Papaya* (Carica papaya)
  20. Guayaba* - guava fruit
  21. Huautli* (Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus hypochondriacus) - grain
  22. Cherimoya* (fruit)
  23. Mamey sapote* (Pouteria sapota) - fruit, other parts of plants have noted uses
  24. Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) - aromatic herb
  25. Sunflower seeds - under cultivation in Mexico and Peru for thousands of years, also source of essential oils
  26. Cassava* - edible starchy root also known as manioc; also used to make tapioca
  27. Tobacco*
  28. Chaya

* Asterisk indicates a common English or Spanish word derived from an indigenous word

Read more about this topic:  Agriculture In Mesoamerica

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