Łódź, Botanical Garden

Native to central Mexico and Central America. Ornamental plant. Pot plant. Edible plant - flower petals are used in salads; roots cooked and used as a vegetable, a bitter flavour; a sweet extract of the tuber, called 'dacopa', is used as a beverage or as a flavouring. It is mixed with hot or cold water and sprinkled on ice cream. Herbal plant - roots are rich in the starch inulin, whilst not absorbed by the body, this starch can be converted into fructose, a sweetening substance suitable for diabetics to use. Usable plant - an orange dye is obtained from the flowers and seed heads.