Sunchoke Tubers

Helianthus tuberosus  Commonly known as sunchoke or Jerusalem artichokes, this is a truly amazing plant. It is native to North America although its exact native range is not fully understood. It can be propagated by tuber or by seed although the tuber method tends to be more commonly used. Sunchokes can grow upwards of 10 feet tall and put out a beautiful yellow flower in late summer. The flower resembles a small version of the typical sunflower that most people are familiar with. Sunchokes are closely related to sunflowers.

They are known for their drought hardiness and ability to spread aggressively. Once established in a space it becomes very difficult to get rid of them. This can be a blessing or a curse depending on your goals and where you plant them. We view it as a super power! 

The main attraction of the plant is the massive amount of edible and tasty tubers it produces on an annual basis. Native peoples have used this plant as a staple food for generations. During the colonization of this continent by Europeans the sunchoke spread across Europe and was widely used to feed people and livestock. Although tasty they are known to give some folks gas when consumed. It is recommended to eat only a small amount the first time and see how the plant fairs in your system. Various cooking methods can decrease gas issues. 

Sunchokes can grow from a small fragment of a tuber and still produce many large tubers by the end of the season. You can typically remove every tuber you find from the soil and the patch will still return the following year. Placing a few tubers in the exact spot you want them to be can be helpful in shaping the patch. The dormant stems make priceless habitat for all kinds of native insect. 

Our favorite way to establish them is to burry a tuber several inches down and cover it with compost and woodchip mulch. The tubers can’t dry out during storage. It is best to store them in the fridge or in the ground until planting/eating. 

this is a native plant that is well adapted to growing conditions across most of the US. They can produce a meaningful amount of food with very little labor. In times of uncertainly plants like this are incredibly important allies to lean on. Even during times of abundance we still love these plants. We have also been exploring the use of sunchokes as companion plant and weed suppressor for establishing trees. More to come on this experiment. 

we are offering tubers from our patch this year. Our tubers came from a cultivated variety (the exact name is lost to us) that our farmer friend Doug Jones grows at Common Ground Ecovillage in Mebane NC. Our patch also has some tubers given to us at a seed swap in Durham. Each order ships with 4 tubers