{"id":300,"date":"2022-09-08T12:51:02","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T12:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/?post_type=product&p=300"},"modified":"2025-08-04T06:09:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T06:09:53","slug":"jerusalem-artichoke","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/product\/jerusalem-artichoke\/","title":{"rendered":"Jerusalem artichoke"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Botanical Name:<\/strong>\u00a0Helianthus tuberosus<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Some other names:<\/strong>\u00a0Sunchoke, Sunroot, Topinambour<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

How to Grow It<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Jerusalem artichoke is a hardy perennial<\/b> that can shoot up well over 2<\/b>\u202f<\/b>m<\/b> in a season. In summer, it throws up bright yellow, daisy\u2011like flowers<\/b> on tall green stalks \u2013 you wouldn\u2019t guess the knobbly, potato\u2011like roots beneath are the main crop.<\/p>\r\n

Despite its name, the plant has nothing to do with Jerusalem<\/b> and isn\u2019t related to artichokes \u2013 it\u2019s actually a type of sunflower<\/b>. It thrives in temperate climates<\/b>, but will grow in subtropical and even tropical regions (though root quality can decline over successive years there, so many gardeners treat it as an annual<\/b>).<\/p>\r\n

Jerusalem artichoke loves full sun<\/b> and well\u2011drained, fertile soils<\/b>, but it\u2019s forgiving \u2013 it will still produce roots in poor ground. It\u2019s very drought\u2011tolerant<\/b> and doesn\u2019t need much fertiliser, though adding some wood ash or compost<\/b> will keep plants happy.<\/p>\r\n

Propagation couldn\u2019t be simpler: plant a tuber in spring<\/b>, cover it with soil, and step back. Each piece of root will sprout. Once established, it can spread rapidly, so think carefully about where you put it (or grow it in a contained bed).

<\/p>\r\n

Herbal & Nutrient Value<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Jerusalem artichoke tubers are an excellent source of potassium<\/b> \u2013 important for heart health and muscle function \u2013 and contain good amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium<\/b>, plus vitamins A, B, and C<\/b>.<\/p>\r\n

The roots are rich in inulin<\/b>, a type of prebiotic fibre that feeds healthy gut bacteria and helps regulate blood sugar. Herbalists sometimes suggest it for people managing type 2 diabetes<\/b> or digestive issues \u2013 though inulin can also cause a bit of gas in some people (the infamous \u201csunchoke effect\u201d!).<\/p>\r\n

Traditional & Home Remedies<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Jerusalem Artichoke Tea – <\/strong>Sliced tubers simmered 15\u202fmin; drunk as a mild diuretic.
Gut Health Broth – <\/strong>Tubers boiled into a broth for digestive support.
Roasted Tuber Poultice – <\/strong>Roasted, mashed tubers applied to sore joints (folk arthritis remedy).

<\/p>\r\n

Using It in the Kitchen<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

Jerusalem artichoke tubers are ready once the foliage dies back<\/b> in autumn\/winter. Harvest only what you need \u2013 they don\u2019t store well out of the ground, but any roots you leave will sprout again next season.<\/p>\r\n

The flavour<\/b> is nutty, slightly sweet, and somewhere between a potato and a water chestnut. You can grate the raw tubers into salads<\/b> for crunch, or cook them like potatoes \u2013 they roast, boil, or mash beautifully.<\/p>\r\n

Simple recipe ideas:<\/b>
– Nutty Salad Crunch<\/b> \u2013 grate raw tubers into coleslaw or a green salad for sweetness and texture.
– Roasted Sunchokes<\/b> \u2013 toss scrubbed tubers with olive oil, salt, and rosemary; roast until golden and crisp.
– Jerusalem Artichoke Soup<\/b> \u2013 simmer with onion, garlic, and stock; blend for a creamy, earthy soup.
– Sunchoke Stir Fry<\/b> \u2013 slice thinly and add at the last minute to veggie stir fries for a water chestnut\u2011like crunch.
– Mashed Sunchokes<\/b> \u2013 boil with potatoes, mash with butter and cream for a sweet, nutty mash.

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\"\"\r\n
Jerusalum artichoke tubers cleaned and ready for baking or boiling.

<\/em><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other Uses<\/b><\/h3>\r\n

The tall plants make a natural summer windbreak<\/b> or screen and are loved by bees and pollinators<\/b> when they flower. The stalks and leaves can be cut back for mulch<\/b>, and the roots improve soil structure over time by loosening heavy ground.

<\/p>\r\n

Why it’s a survival plant:<\/h3>\r\n

drought\u2011resistant, self\u2011perpetuating, and highly productive<\/b>. Once you plant it, you\u2019ll have a renewable source of food for years \u2013 whether you plan to or not!<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jerusalem artichoke is a tall, cheerful perennial with sunflower\u2011like blooms and knobbly edible roots that taste like nutty potatoes. Once planted, it quietly keeps producing year after year \u2013 a low\u2011maintenance, high\u2011return plant that\u2019s ideal for a survival garden.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":121,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":""},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[38,39,41,45],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-300","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-cooler-climate-plants","7":"product_cat-drought-resistant-plants","8":"product_cat-mulch-plants","9":"product_cat-soups-and-curries","11":"first","12":"instock","13":"shipping-taxable","14":"product-type-simple"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=300"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=300"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/survivalfoodplants.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}