Jerusalem artichokes

[elleme]

So much for my plant ID skills...

I bought a few different barerooted plants cheaply in a sale earlier this year, planted them up and all did well save for the echinacea. So much for that, I thought, until one plant started sprouting up. It grew quite tall and lanky, but it hasn't flowered yet. I still assumed it was echinacea, not having any else of it in my garden, until I went over the the Yalding organic gardens today and noticed how very much shorter the same cultivar was, and how the leaves didn't look quite the same.

And then I spotted the Jerusalem artichokes in another part of the garden and realised that was my mystery plant. I remembered planting a couple of tubers from my veg box last autumn, then changing my mind a couple of days later. I must be like those squirrels or jays who go around planting acorns then forgetting where they were, as clearly one has survived the digging up process.

It's not flowered yet, and I'm hoping it does at least a bit, but do jerusalem artichokes have any wildlife value? If not I guess at least it has some culinary use, though it's not a thing I'd want to eat too often.

[svenrufus]

This is my first year of growing them, so not got much to offer in words of wisdom I'm afraid.
But, they seem to be ignored by any critters munching on foliage elsewhere - I've not noticed any damage to any of my plants, so not much use in this respect I guess. If they get to flower, they will have the usual nectar//pollen value I suppose. As they are in the sunflower family, maybe they have seeds that birds will covet.

When I said I was putting some in my allotment, people would offer a sharp intake of reath, and warn me that I would never get rid of them from the plot. I just thought 'Excellent, edible weeds!'

I think they are terrific produce, make a great base for soups, good mash and even substitute for Water Chestnuts in stir-fry dishes.

I was also warned about a certain side effect that they are renowned for, but I've never had a particular problem with that - maybe it's because I'm a veggie anyway that I didn't notice the difference.

[aeshna5]

The yellow flowers are attractive to a number of insects such as bees + hoverflies, earwigs will enjoy nibbling the petals.

Can be a little invasive so you may need to control it, but an attractive edible plant!

[Jez]

I love jerusalem artichokes honey glazed YUM YUM YUM

[Goosegogs]

Jerusalem artichokes - the plants act as a windbreak (maybe they collect the wind to give to you later )
Apparently, the tubers are good for diabetics - I think it has a different sugar - inulin?

[elleme]

I can see they'd make a good windbreak. It's been a bit windy as well as rainy here lately and it stood up to it well. When I tried them in a soup in the past they were delicious, though I think I might have had some of the, ahem, windier side effects later.

I just saw an article on the web saying they only flower in the UK after an exceptionally long warm summer, so I'm not crossing my fingers that I'll get some this year!

[Dan Salter]

I too have about 5 plants in a row from the tubers donated from a friend...they tower above my shed now but havent flowered as yet...they do have a sunflowerish flower when they flower ( thats a lot of flower words in one line) .

Not sure at what point you dig the edible tubers yet either...never tasted it in my life.

[Jez]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

I too have about 5 plants in a row from the tubers donated from a friend...they tower above my shed now but havent flowered as yet...they do have a sunflowerish flower when they flower ( thats a lot of flower words in one line) .

Not sure at what point you dig the edible tubers yet either...never tasted it in my life.

Do the flowers have seed heads like sunflowers, If so do birds eat them?