Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus 'Shiawasee')

Sunflower relative indigenous to North America that produces beautiful yellow flowers and an edible, potato-like tuber highly prized by chefs worldwide. French painter Claude Monet was captivated by the gorgeous blooms - memorializing them in a (now famous) 1880 oil painting. They are fantastic pollinator plants, blooming late in the season when other flowers have faded and other forage is hard to find.

Shiawasee is an early flowering and fruiting variety averaging 8-10 ft. tall, selected from the wild along a stream in central Michigan. Produces medium-sized long, thin tubers that are easy to harvest, growing just under the soil's surface. With thin brown (edible) “skins” and very few nobs, the tubers are easy to clean and taste delicious. Sweetest in Spring. USDA hardiness zones 3-9.

You may also like the varieties "Waldspinel" and "Manitoba."