Potato cultivation

[gregszybala]

11,000 years ago in Utah?

http://www.sltrib.com/news/5454302-155/did-potato-cultivation-begin-in-utahs

[CMD]

Works for me. But then, we Irish are raised on spuds. Seriously though, why not? Not surprised someone recognized how nutritious the tubers were...

[2ndoldman]

I was wondering why they did not mention the origin of this particular potato in the link that you provided Greg. "However, In Utah the potato plant is only found in isolated sites close to archaeological digs, which suggests the tubers were brought to the area by outsiders." https://www.sciencealert.com/archaeologists-find-potato-granules-in-utah-dating-back-10-900-years?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1
Have they not looked into where it originally came from?

[CMD]

Here is a map of where this particular wild potato is native.

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SOJA

[2ndoldman]

I expect that it is very likely indigenous to central or south America and was brought up to the states through trade.

[CMD]

Hmm. I did find one reference saying it was native to the mountains of the Southwest, as well as the mountains of northern Mexico. That would be an early trade network, since 11,000 years ago is Early Archaic. So, you're basically saying it is not really native to our Southwestern states, but was introduced. But the climate is similar in both areas, so I'm just not sure if trade would be the reason it grows in our SW. Northern Mexico and the desert SW would be very similar in terrain and climate anyway, with similar native plants, such as cacti and succulents, so why not this wild potato as well? Maybe more research will provide an answer.