Jerusalem artichoke
Helianthus tuberosus
Botanical family: Asteraceae
Native to North America, where it was grown by the Wendat (Huron), Algonquin, and Abenaki peoples long before the arrival of Europeans. Introduced to France in the early 17th century by explorers. Tubers rich in inulin (a fermentable fibre) rather than starch, hence the sometimes difficult digestion (the English call it 'Jerusalem artichoke'). Harvest from October to March, in the ground as needed.
Full sun
Any soil, even poor
Very tolerant of drought
Very hardy (-25 °C, tubers in open ground)
Overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
A perennial Asteraceae spreading by tubers, to be isolated or confined: it self-seeds by fragments and becomes invasive. Planted as an edible windbreak hedge or in a remote corner of the garden, it's an almost spontaneous carbohydrate reserve. Late flowering (August-October), precious for pollinators at the end of the season. Its residues are allelopathic: they can slow the emergence of nearby young plants.
Good companions
Traditional companion planting (benefit not demonstrated)
Poor companions
Same family: shared diseases and pests
Competition (water, light, roots)
Traditional avoidance (antagonism not demonstrated)
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Lifted from October to March, and keeps in the ground.
Available: January, February, March, April, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- RHS, « How to Grow Jerusalem artichokes » (rhs.org.uk/vegetables/jerusalem-artichokes/grow-your-own)
- La Ferme de Sainte Marthe, « Réussir la culture du topinambour » (fermedesaintemarthe.com/en/blogs/comment-reussir-la-culture-de/reussir-la-culture-du-topinambour)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
It's precisely this inulin that explains the main precaution: fermented in the gut, it can cause bloating and flatulence, especially with a large consumption or in people with a sensitive colon (functional bowel disorder). It's advised to introduce it gradually and in small quantities, particularly in children, whose sensitivity is often more marked. Careful cooking, possibly in two waters, improves digestibility. In case of a chronic digestive disorder, seek the advice of a health professional.
Family behaviour: Asteraceae
In general, Asteraceae are a family rich in flowers appreciated by pollinators and beneficials (pot marigold, yarrow, chamomile). It is very scattered, from the mildest lettuce to the allelopathic sunflower.
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Wendat (Huron) and Algonquian nations · St Lawrence Valley and Great Lakes, North America
When Samuel de Champlain explored the Wendat country in the early 17th century, he described fields of tubers grown near the longhouses. The Wendat call these roots by various names depending on the village; they eat them raw, cooked under the ashes, or dry them for winter. The tuber then travels to France with the merchants, without its name of origin, and receives by mistake that of a Brazilian people.
Samuel de Champlain, Les Voyages de la Nouvelle France occidentale, 1632 ; rapports des Jésuites de Nouvelle-France, XVIIᵉ siècle ; synthèse dans François Couplan, Le régal végétal, Sang de la Terre, 2009.
The French-language sources of the colonial era describe Wendat farming practices through the European gaze, to be read with that filter in mind.
Keep in mind
The name 'topinambour' comes from the Tupinambá, a Native American people of Brazil exhibited in Paris in 1613, just as the tubers from North America were arriving. The confusion means the plant bears a name that has nothing to do with its real origin (Helianthus tuberosus, northern America). Source: François Couplan, Le régal végétal, plantes sauvages comestibles, Éditions Sang de la Terre, revised edition 2009.
A note on rigour: many companion pairings are gardening folklore; this note sums up what the sources say, where there are any.
Regulatory status in Europe
A species' status varies from one country to another: check before growing, selling or foraging it outside France.
SpainCultivation prohibited
Listed in the Catálogo Español de Especies Exóticas Invasoras: possession, transport, trade, and cultivation prohibited.
Real Decreto 630/2013 (Catálogo Español de EEI), Helianthus tuberosus réintégré par l'arrêt du Tribunal Supremo du 16/03/2016
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: any soil, even poor.
- • Classic companion: Maize (corn).
- • Keep away from: Low crops (cast shade).