Melanga – Growing

Q: Do you know how to grow a malanga? I have tried to plant the tubers but nothing happened.

A: Malanga is a tropical plant whose leaves resemble the elephant ear. The tubers are edible. They can be baked, fried or otherwise used like a potato. The leaves are also eaten as greens.

A fresh tuber from a market should be planted three to five inches deep in very loose soil in late spring. The plants are large, so give them space to grow.