Indian breadroot, Breadroot scurf pea
Psoralea esculenta

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

It is a rather stout erect herb. It has some branches and is softly hairy. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 30-50 cm high and spreads 30-50 cm wide. The roots thicken into potato like tubers or turnips. They are long and have white flesh. These can be 8 cm thick and 15 cm long. The leaves are divided like fingers on a hand and have 5 leaflets. The leaf stalk is usually longer than the blade. The leaflets are fattened oval shape and 2-6 cm long by 0.8-2 cm wide. The flowers are in a dense oblong spike. This can be 10 cm long. The flowers are bluish. The fruit is an oblong hairy pod. It can be 0.5 cm long. It is slightly wrinkled. The seed are brown.

The tubers have a protein content of 7%.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows on poorer soils on plains. It suits hardiness zones 3-7.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Canada, North America (country/location of origin), USA

How it is used for food

The root contains thick, brown edible starch. They can be dried in the sun and stored. The cake can be ground into flour to make bread or thicken soups. The peeled roots can be eaten raw, boiled, baked, fried or roasted.

A significant food.

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

It is grown from seed.

The tubers are collected at the end of the growing season when the tops die down.

Its other names

Local names

Breadroot, Indian turnip, Navet de prairie, Pomme blanche, Pomme de prairie, Prairie parsnip, Prairie potato, Prairie turnip, Timpsula, Tipsin

Synonyms

Lotodes esculentum (Pursh) Kuntze; Pediomelum esculentum (Pursh) Rydberg; Psoralea brachiata Douglas ex Hook.;