Agriculture in Mesoamerica - Domesticated Plants

Domesticated Plants

A list of Mesoamerican cultivars and staples:

1. Maize* - domesticated from teosinte grasses in southern Mexico)
2. Squash* (Cucurbita spp.) - pumpkins, zucchini, acorn squash, butternut squash, others
3. Pinto bean - "painted/speckled" bean; nitrogen-fixer traditionally planted in conjunction with the "two sisters", maize and squash, to help condition soil; runners grew on maize
4. Tomato*
5. Potato*
6. Avocado*
7. Cacahuate* (Arachis hypogaea)
8. Chicle* (Manilkara chicle) - sap made into chewing gum
9. Chili peppers* - many varieties
10. Cacao*
11. Vanilla
12. Mora (Rubus blackberry)
13. Rubus glaucus
14. Strawberry (Fragaria spp.) - various cultivars
15. Pineapple - cultivated extensively
16. Nopales* - stem segments of Opuntia species, such as Opuntia ficus-indica
17. Tunas* - fruits of Opuntia species
18. Jícama* (Pachyrhizus erosus)
19. Papaya* (Carica papaya)
20. Guayaba* - guava fruit
21. Huautli* (Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus hypochondriacus) - grain
22. Cherimoya* (fruit)
23. Mamey sapote* (Pouteria sapota) - fruit, other parts of plants have noted uses
24. Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) - aromatic herb
25. Sunflower seeds - under cultivation in Mexico and Peru for thousands of years, also source of essential oils
26. Cassava* - edible starchy root also known as manioc; also used to make tapioca
27. Tobacco*
28. Chaya

* Asterisk indicates a common English or Spanish word derived from an indigenous word