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Jerusalem Artichoke

Helianthus tuberosus

Also known as: Sunchoke

Tall late-summer sunflower with edible nutty tubers — a major Indigenous food crop predating European contact. Spreads aggressively by tubers; contain it in a defined bed or root barrier.

Family

Asteraceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

6–10 ft

Spacing

3–5 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

dry

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

August, September, October

Bloom colors

red, pink, yellow

Wildlife value

butterflies, pollinators, songbirds, larval host

Caterpillar hosts

~58 butterfly & moth species

Landscape uses

border, naturalizing

Native states

AR, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, NJ, OH, OK, SD, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV, WY