Zoöp Observations: Jerusalem ArtichokeZoöp Observations: Jerusalem Artichoke

Since 2015 the New Garden contains a golden yellow autumn bloomer, the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus). It is a close relative of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) but unlike the latter, the Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial. The plant has pear-shaped underground root tubers. These tubers are edible (raw or cooked) and have a slightly nutty taste.

The Jerusalem artichoke is native to North America. Despite its name the plant has no relationship with Jerusalem. The Jerusalem part in the plant’s name is believed to be an English corruption of the name by which this vegetable is known in Italy: girasole articiocco (sunflower artichoke). Seventeenth century Europeans thought that the tubers of this plant tasted similar to artichoke. The plant is unrelated to the artichoke (Cynara scolymus) however. The Jerusalem artichoke is also known by several other names, such as sunroot and topinambur. The name sunroot speaks for itself. Topinambur comes from Tupinambá, a tribe of cannibals who lived on the east coast of Brazil. In 1613, after a failed attempt to found a colony in Brazil, the French navigator François de Razilly (1578-1621) returned to France with six members of this Indian people, who he presented to the 12-year-old King Louis XIII, and his regent and mother, Maria de’ Medici. Since the Tupinambá’s arrival roughly coincided with the first appearance of Jerusalem artichokes on the French menu, the New World tubers were called topinambours.

Jerusalem artichokes can be harvested after the foliage has decayed in the frost of winter. The tubers themselves are winter hardy: those that remain in the ground can withstand heavy frost, unlike potatoes. The Jerusalem artichokes in New Garden are not intended for consumption however. They are specimens of an unknown variety that don't grow very tall, 150 to 200 at most.