Helianthus tuberosus ‘Sugarball’

Jerusalem Artichoke 'Sugarball' Asteraceae

A particularly good Jerusalem artichoke for the kitchen garden, Helianthus tuberosus ‘Sugarball’ combines the exuberant stature of a perennial sunflower with a surprisingly useful crop beneath the soil. It produces strong, upright stems to around 2.5m, topped with yellow sunflower-like flowers in late summer, but the real attraction is its large, smooth, white-skinned tubers.

‘Sugarball’ is notable for its slightly higher inulin content, which gives the tubers a sweeter flavour, particularly after winter when the plants have experienced colder conditions. Deaflora describes the flavour as reminiscent of sweet potato, though less sweet, with additional lightly spicy notes. The tubers are high-yielding and particularly good roasted or used in vegetable soups.

The selection is listed in European horticultural sources as ‘Sugarball’, with a Swedish source specifically describing it as a Hungarian variety with small, white and very sweet tubers. (Gröna rader⁠) Its precise original introduction history is not well documented, so we should avoid attributing it to a particular breeder or date without better evidence.

Grow in sun or partial shade in fertile, moisture-retentive soil. Harvest the tubers from autumn through winter and into spring. As with all Jerusalem artichokes, any tubers left behind can produce new plants, so it is a crop best grown where its vigorous nature is welcome.

Height: Up to 2.5m
Spread: 60–100cm
Flowering: August–October
Hardiness: H5, −15 to −10°C
Edible: Large white tubers – particularly good roasted or in soup
Flavour: Sweet, lightly spicy, with hints of sweet potato

Introduction: a Hungarian selection; precise original introduction details are currently undocumented.