Jerusalem artichokes in Wales

Helianthus strumosus & tuberosus cvs.
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Jerusalem artichokes in Wales

Jerusalem artichokes, known botanically as Helianthus tuberosus, and horticulturally with many additional cultivar names, to gardeners and smallholders by various native, regional, created or borrowed common names and more accurately but not uniquely as tuberous perennial sunflowers.

I have grown then occasionally for many decades but in 2020 I became more interested and then got really keen. I live in the UK so a long way from the countries of their origin, Canada and the USA. They have been in Europe as long as the potato but they are yet to appear as crisps like beetroot and parsnip. I will be seeing how well they do on a mountainside in Wales not that far from Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa). We are well acquainted with wet and windy weather during the cooler months, so not too many frosts, but slugs and snails are always waiting for warmer spells, to feast on the tubers, and especially the new shoots. Summers are not very hot, or sunny, here so there may not be many flowers. We will see how the different cultivars do. Want to say hello? Click hello@helianthus.tuberosus.info

On 3rd December 2024 Plant Heritage d esignated my collection of living plants a National Plant Collection of Helianthus strumosus & tuberosus cvs.

Just in case there is any confusion my collection of plants is not part of any commercial venture so I am not selling plants or tubers. If I have any excess potted growing tubers they will be available to buy at the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden plant sales (in person not by mail order) in April or May, with the purchase price going to the "Friends" to support the work of the Botanic Garden. If you are some distance from Bangor in northwest Wales and want to be sure of your supply of tubers to plant please first contact the named sources I have listed and support small scale and specialist nurseries and help keep them in business. However if there are any enthusiasts out there that cannot get the tubers they want from other sources, then I can take you name, address, phone number and email address, and if I have any spare tubers I can give them to you in exchange for a donation that is to cover labeling, post and packing.

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comments on plants available at the Friends' of Treborth Botanic Garden plant sale April & May 2025

Helianthus tuberosus 'Dwarf'