Jerusalem Artichoke

While often grown as a vegetable for its nutty, edible tubers, the Jerusalem Artichoke is also a towering and impressive ornamental plant for the back of a UK border. It can reach heights of 2 to 3 metres in a single season, producing strong, bristly stems and large, coarse leaves. In late autumn, it is topped with clusters of bright yellow sunflower-like flowers. It is exceptionally hardy (H7) and will grow in almost any soil condition, though it can become invasive if not managed, as every small piece of tuber left in the ground will grow. In a garden setting, it is best used as a temporary summer screen or at the back of a large wild garden area. If you wish to harvest the tubers for the kitchen, wait until after the first frosts when the starches have turned to sugars. It is a 'plant and forget' species that provides vertical interest and late-season colour.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Any, but prefers alkaline to neutral soil.

Hardiness: H7 — below −20°C.

Flowering: Sep, Oct.