Talk about confusion. Jerusalem artichokes aren't from Jerusalem. They're not even artichokes. They're native woodland flowers seen over much of the country. The bloom is lovely, the stem is hairy, and the leaves are coarse. The "artichoke" part is the tubers. Grown in the right spot, Jerusalem Artichokes will look great in your yard, and taste great at your dinner.
Years ago, French explorers near the St. Lawrence River saw the locals digging up a certain kind of sunflower and cooking the roots. When they tasted some, they loved it, and sent plant samples back home. These plants made their way to Italy, where they were called "girasole articcioco", which, in the mouths of English speakers, became Jerusalem artichokes. Nowadays, some people call the plant sun chokes.
You can find nurseries online that sell tubers for planting. They usually ship in the spring. When your tubers arrive, find a spot with partial sun for their new home. Work in lots of organic material, such as Miracle-Gro® Organic Choice® Garden Soil. Sprinkle some Osmocote® Plus Multipurpose Plant Food, then top it off with a thorough watering. After that, just water and weed as needed.
Jerusalem artichokes take at least a year or two to mature. Otherwise, you'll be eating puny tubers. Once they're ready, you can dig up the roots any time of the year, but they're tastier after the first frost.
You can boil them, fry them, broil them, bake them, pickle them, or eat them raw. There are plenty of recipes out there for this delicious, overlooked food. Just surf the net to find the one that appeals to you most.
