Cnidoscolus aconitifolius aka Treadsoftly

Chaya is generally considered easy to grow. Wikipedia describes it as easy with minimal insect damage, and PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants both note that it tolerates a wide range of soils, sun or deep shade, and both drought and heavy rain once established. Its main constraints are frost sensitivity and the need to cook the leaves before eating.

Chaya grows into a large shrub typically 5 m (16 ft) tall, with Useful Tropical Plants noting it can reach 6 m and recommending it be kept under about 2 m for easy harvesting. Wikipedia notes that early growth is slow and that leaves are usually not harvested until the second year, after which the plant becomes vigorous and productive.

Chaya tolerates a wide range of soils, including poor ones. PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants both report that it prefers slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5–6.5 but grows acceptably from pH 4.5 to 7.5. It is not picky about soil type as long as drainage is adequate, though it tolerates occasional inundation.

Chaya is a tropical/subtropical plant that survives temperatures of about 12–38 °C, with optimum growth between 20 and 32 °C. PFAF lists it as hardy to USDA zones 9–11, and Wikipedia notes it persists outdoors in warm climates such as Florida but is treated as a tender perennial farther north. It is not frost-hardy.

Chaya thrives on a wide range of soils, including poor ones, suggesting it has modest fertility requirements. PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants emphasize its adaptability rather than any specific feeding regime, so a light annual top-dressing of compost is generally sufficient in garden conditions.

Wikipedia describes four main cultivars: Chayamansa (the most widely grown), Estrella, Picuda, and Redonda. They differ in leaf shape, fertility, and the presence of urticating (stinging) hairs, with Chayamansa generally having fewer stinging hairs and being preferred for cultivation.

Outdoors, chaya does best in full sun in a warm, frost-free climate, though it also tolerates deep shade. Wikipedia notes it persists in places like Florida and is grown as a tender perennial in the southern United States; PFAF places it in USDA zones 9–11. It is undemanding about soil and tolerates both heavy rain and drought once established.

Chaya is propagated almost entirely by woody stem cuttings, since seeds are rarely produced and seedlings do not come true to type. Wikipedia recommends cuttings of 15–30 cm, while PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants suggest cuttings up to 40 cm long, dried for 1–14 days before being planted in moist soil. Softwood, semi-hardwood, and woody cuttings all work.

Chaya suffers little insect damage and is generally easy to grow, according to Wikipedia and the cultivation notes in PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants. There are no widely reported serious pests or diseases of cultivated chaya.

Young leaves and tender stem tips are the edible parts, used as a cooked leafy green similar to spinach. The leaves are very nutritious, with around 25% protein on a dry-weight basis plus high levels of calcium, iron, carotene, and vitamins. Crucially, raw leaves contain cyanogenic glycosides that release hydrogen cyanide; PFAF and Wikipedia both stress that leaves must be cooked 5–20 minutes before eating, and aluminium cookware should not be used. Cooked leaves are also blended with fruit and sugar water into a traditional Yucatán beverage.

In Mayan traditional medicine, leaf infusions are used to treat kidney stones, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and the plant has been used for a long list of complaints including alcoholism, insomnia, skin disorders, gout, and scorpion stings. Useful Tropical Plants notes that the leaves contain kaempferol and quercetin glycosides and that diabetic rabbits fed chaya showed a significant drop in blood sugar. PFAF cautions that most traditional medicinal claims have not been experimentally tested.

Beyond its role as a leafy vegetable, chaya is commonly grown as a living hedge or shade tree in home gardens in Mesoamerica, according to Useful Tropical Plants.

Treadsoftly’s native range is Central America - Panama north to Mexico.

Treadsoftly should be watered regularly, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings.

To ensure optimal growth, the Treadsoftly prefers bright diffused light for 6-8 hours each day. Insufficient light can result in slow growth and leaf drop, so it's important to find a well-lit location for this plant. Place it near a window, within a distance of 1 meter (3 feet), to enhance its potential for thriving.

Ploi's records do not contain confirmed information on the toxicity of this particular plant. In the event of accidental ingestion of plant material with questionable toxicity by you, a family member, or a pet, it is always a good idea to consult a healthcare professional.