How to Grow Maranta Arundinacea

Native to the West Indies and South America, arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) is grown for the starch in its fleshy roots. A poultice of arrowroot was used by natives to draw out toxins from poison arrow puncture wounds. The dry powder thickens sauces, puddings and pie fillings, or is used as flour in biscuits, cakes or noodles. Arrowroot is propagated with its fleshy rhizomes, or tubers. The plants produce reed-like stems and long, flat, pointed leaves arranged on the stems like those of ginger or canna. The white flowers look a little like iris flowers. Arrowroot can only be grown in frost-free climates, as it requires a very long growing season to mature.

Rototiller or spade
Garden rake or hoe
Soaker hose
Hay or straw mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Plant the roots of arrowroot in the late winter or early spring, at a time when hot, moist, frost-free weather can be reliably expected for the next 10 to 12 months.
- 2
  Till the garden bed with a rototiller, or turn over the soil with a spade. Smooth out the surface with a garden rake or hoe. Mark planting furrows 30 inches apart.
- 3
  Plant the rhizomes approximately 6 inches deep and 15 inches apart in the prepared furrows. Cover the rhizomes with soil and gently firm it down.
- 4
  Water the planting bed with a soaker hose so the bed is moist to the depth of the planted rhizomes. Irrigate if rainfall is scarce so the arrowroot plants get 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
- 5
  Mulch the soil in the planting bed with an organic mulch, such as hay or straw. This will stop most weeds from growing and keep the soil evenly moist.
- 6
  Harvest the roots when they are approximately one year old. The optimal age for roots that will be used to extract the powder is just over one year.

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