Manihot esculenta, commonly called cassava (/kəˈsɑːvə/), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names) is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America.

Where does the cassava plant grow?

Cassava thrives in poor soil with little water, so it is an ideal crop to grow on marginal land in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions. Farmers can harvest parts of the perennial plant as needed for food or to sell as a cash crop.

Can you grow cassava in the USA?

Cassava plants produce huge ornamental lobed leaves. They can thrive in the summer as an annual in most regions of the United States. Warmer temperatures promote the most rapid growth.