Flora of New Zealand Series

Jerusalem artichoke

Erect perennial herb, with short rhizomes and well developed tubers. Stems hispid, not or sparingly branched, up to c. 3 m tall, dying back to tubers in winter. Lower and mid cauline lvs hispidulous, petiolate, narrow-ovate to deltoid or rhomboid, acuminate, obtuse at base, irregularly serrate, (8)-20-25 cm long, often with short shoots and reduced lvs in axils; upper cauline lvs similar to lower but alternate and uppermost shortly petiolate, smaller and narrower. Capitula 5-8 cm diam., in loose corymbs of 2-6. Involucral bracts in 2-3 rows, sparsely hairy and ciliate, narrow-lanceolate, acute, 8-15 × 2-4 mm. Receptacle convex; scales membranous, the larger with darker ciliate apices. Ray florets 10-15; disc florets numerous, yellow or tinged brown. Achenes narrow-obovoid, hairy toward apex, 4-6 mm long; pappus of 2-5 laciniate scales.

N.: Kaikohe, Auckland City, Waikato, Te Puke (Bay of Plenty), Opotiki District, Rotorua, Taupo; S.: Christchurch, Cromwell.

E. and C. U.S.A. and Canada 1872

Waste places, grassland.

FL Apr.

Jerusalem artichoke is cultivated throughout N.Z. for the edible tubers which make an excellent soup. The common name has led to confusion with the globe artichoke, Cynara scolymus a member of the trib. Cardueae, and of which the young capitulum rather than the root is eaten. Jerusalem artichoke is easily propagated from the tubers, so further naturalisation can be expected especially from garden discards near settlements. The narrow-lanceolate involucral bracts distinguish this sp. from H. × laetiflorus (Fig. 24).