Tropaeolum tuberosum (
mashua, see below for other names) is a
species of
flowering plant in the
family Tropaeolaceae, grown in the
Andes, particularly in Peru and Bolivia, and to a lesser extent in Ecuador as well as in
Boyacá Department,
Colombia, for its edible
tubers, which are eaten cooked or roasted as a vegetable. It is a minor food source, especially to native Amerindian populations. Mashua is a
herbaceous perennial climber growing to in height. It is related to
garden nasturtiums, and is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental for its brightly coloured tubular flowers.