Chrissy and Ryan Rockefeller
Rockefeller Heirloom Mirliton Donated to Mirliton.Org
By Lance Hill
I am delighted to announce that Ryan and Chrissy Rockefeller of St. Rose, Louisiana have donated several sprouts to Mirliton.Org to propagate. This is a previously unseen dark green and slightly spiny variety.
Image 1. Rockefeller Heirloom Mirliton.
Chrissy Missios Rockefeller has been regularly posting about their mirliton vine on the Louisiana Edible Gardeners Facebook group. We were intrigued that it produced some dark green and spiny mirlitons. Similar varieties exist throughout the word, but Louisiana growers have favored pale green and smooth varieties. Somehow this variety survived. Mirliton.Org plans to carefully cultivate this variety to preserve and repopulate it. We have, as is our practice, named the variety after the family that had owned and preserved it for years.
Image 2. Rockefeller Heirloom Mirliton Vine growing in St. Rose.
People often ask us if different varietal colors and characteristics indicate differences in flavor. Imported mirlitons (chayote) have been selected for uniform color, size, and smoothness, all at the expense of flavor. We know that there are differences in flavor in Louisiana-grown heirlooms and plan to flavor- test the Rockefeller variety.
Image 3. Rockefeller Heirloom Mirliton sprouts.
If you are interested in growing the variety to provide it to aspiring growers, and if you have adequate trellis space and frost protection in place, please email me at lance@mirlton.org for an application.
Special thanks to Paul D’Anna for his help in securing this donation.