Helianthus tuberosus ‘Fuseau’

Jerusalem Artichoke 'Fuseau' Asteraceae

A vegetable with the exuberance of a sunflower and the culinary usefulness of a potato, Jerusalem artichokes are an easy-going, productive perennial that deserves rather more space in the kitchen garden. ‘Fuseau’ is a particularly useful selection, producing elongated, relatively smooth, thin-skinned tubers that are considerably less fiddly to clean and prepare than the knobbly offerings of many other forms. Above ground, sturdy stems carry coarse green leaves, with small, bright yellow sunflower-like blooms appearing in late summer and autumn.

The tubers are the real prize. Harvest from late autumn through winter, lifting them as required while the soil remains workable. Their sweet, nutty flavour and pleasing texture make them excellent roasted until caramelised, sautéed in butter, or puréed into a silky soup. They can also be eaten raw, thinly sliced into salads. Jerusalem artichokes contain inulin rather than the starch found in potatoes, which gives them their characteristic sweetness; however, this carbohydrate can cause wind and bloating in some people, so newcomers may wish to start with modest portions!

Originally native to North America, Helianthus tuberosus was introduced to Europe in the early seventeenth century and subsequently became an established food crop. The cultivar name ‘Fuseau’ is French, meaning spindle, an apt description of the long, tapered tubers. It has a long history in European horticulture, although a definitive date or individual responsible for its introduction has not been established. Give it a reasonably fertile, moisture-retentive soil in sun, and allow room for its impressive growth. A useful winter crop, an attractive late-season screen and a plant that earns its keep twice over — what more could a hungry gardener ask?

• Height: 1.5–2.5 m
• Spread: 0.5–1 m
• Flowering: August–October
• Hardiness: H5 (−15 to −10°C)
• Edible: Tubers, harvested from autumn through winter; delicious roasted, fried, puréed or thinly sliced raw.