Baltic Garden - November 2012, VOL IV - VIPs Portal

Jerusalem artichoke - (Helianthus tuberosus)
Perennial..
Belongs to Asteraceae family.
Height: 2-3 meter.
Flowering: August-November. Short Day plant.
Habitat: The tubers can tolerate temperatures down to -30 degrees C, whereas the aboveground plant
only withstands -5 degrees C. Tubers left in the growing bed produce new plants following year. Crop
rotation is recommended at least every 5 year.
"Jerusalem artichoke is cultivated on professional basis as perennial crops and can remain for decades in
the same field, assuming optimal supply of nutrients, such as calcium." Source: Dipl.-Ing (FH) Georg
Lindl, Die Topinambur Manufaktur, mail 14/12/2012. http://www.lindls.com/ueber-topinambur/item/28
Names: Germany: Topinambur, Jerusalem-Artichoke, Borbel, Erdartischocke, Erdschocke,
Erdsonnenblume, Erdtrüffel, Ewigkeitskartoffel, Indianerknolle, Kleine Sonnenblume,
Knollensonnenblume, Rosskartoffel, Schnapskartoffel, Süßkartoffel og Zuckerkartoffel. UK: Jerusalem
artichoke, Sunroot, Sunchoke, Earth apple og Topinambour. France: Artichaut de Jérusalem, Truffe du
Canada, Poire de terre og Soleil vivace. Sweden: Jordärtskocka. Norway: Jordskokk. (Source:
de.wikipedia.org)
Years ago I came home from the supermarket with some organic Jerusalem artichokes and put them in
the ground. My sister is a great fan of Jerusalem Artichoke Soup. So it was primarily to make her happy.
But also because I wanted to test if cultivation at all was possible in the windswept Baltic Garden.
Sister was indeed very happy, when she went home with the first bags of newly excavated Jerusalem
artichoke tubers. As with so much else, fresh ingredients are indicator of good taste. And - similar to the
newly excavated potatoes - fresh tubers are easier to clean and cook than purchased tubers, which can
be difficult to peel.