Helianthus strumosus 'Blauange'

Woodland Sunflower Asteraceae

A particularly interesting German selection of the woodland sunflower, Helianthus strumosus ‘Blauauge’ is as much a vegetable as an ornamental. It forms substantial, upright clumps of handsome foliage, eventually reaching around 2.5m, before producing the familiar yellow sunflower heads in late summer. But the real prize is underground: this selection produces long, torpedo-shaped edible tubers, harvested from autumn through winter and into spring.

The name ‘Blauauge’, meaning “blue eye”, refers to the pink-lilac rings surrounding the eyes of the tubers. The tubers can be cooked with their skins on and are reported to have a particularly appealing flavour somewhere between Jerusalem artichoke and salsify—rather more culinary intrigue than one normally expects from a sunflower.

H. strumosus is native to eastern and central North America, where it occurs in woodland margins, thickets and other relatively moist habitats. In cultivation, ‘Blauauge’ appreciates fertile, moisture-retentive soil in sun or light shade. Like other tuber-forming perennial sunflowers, it is vigorous and can gradually form a sizeable colony, so give it room to express itself.

A genuinely useful perennial: sunflower above ground, edible crop below.

Height: Up to 2.5m (commonly 1.5 metress)
Spread: 60–100cm
Flowering: August–October
Hardiness: H5, approximately −15 to −10°C
Edible: Tubers – cooked with the skin on; flavour reminiscent of Jerusalem artichoke and salsify

Selection: Germany. ‘Blauauge’ (“blue eye”) refers to the distinctive pink-lilac colouring around the eyes of the tubers.