Yacon

The Yacon is a beautiful replantable perennial, a member of the Jerusalem artichoke family. A great vegetable for diabetics and those on a diet being low in sugar, low carb and gluten free! The taste is something like an dapple/watermelon/celery cross. Yacon means ‘water root’ in Inca language, they often make a drink by pressing the tubers to release the juice. It’s a South American tuber from high in the Andes, cultivated for centuries used as more of a fruit than veg.

Plant stem base with little tubers to create new plants in the spring

02

Moved to polytunnel in October

Flowering in December

Second week in January dying back after flowering and temperatures in polytunnel going to -2 degrees

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Time to unearth the tubers

Root crown not many edible ones there but plenty of new tips for a bigger crop int he spring

With it’s fluffy leaves

My growing notes

My harvest was in January, rather small but that may have been due to the late planting and I only had one small tuber. As my plant was quite small when October came I moved it into the poly tunnel where it grew well and flowered in December. Although the yield was tiny (I didn’t expect too much) I do have plenty of smaller tubers for a larger planting in spring now. 

Growth

I brought a small potted tuber but didnt receive it until early August. It was slow growing, I think it was just too late. The plant would have benefited more with earlier potting out.

Other plant names

Yacon

Water root

Peruvian ground apple

Smallanthus sonchifolius

 

Growing Guide

Plant out after the first frosts. 

Not fussy with soil but prefers a well drained place, can handle sun or a light shade. 

To progate get the small tubers from the harvest near the stem (about 1.5cm square with a growing tip on it), put in a pot of  nearly damp compost leave in a frost free place in the dark. Bring them out in spring into the light, again in a frost free place. It can take months to grow, they are slow growers but as the warmth of summer comes you will see a growth spurt.  Whilst they are doing their slow growth bit interplant with lettuce/radish/Chinese greens all quick croppers.

Harvest Guide

You will harvest in the winter after the frosts where the plant tops will die down.

The root has large edible tubers hanging from the plant similar to potatoes, closer to the stem are smaller tubers used for propagation.

Tubers are better left in the sun for a few days/week after being dug doing this will make them sweeter.

Little Details

Replant Perennial

HEIGHT 1-2 metres 

WIDTH 60-90 cm

Hardy to -5 degrees

height and spacing 20 x 20 cm

Large felty leaves with small sunflower type flowers. Blooming late in the summertime. Photoperiod sensitive so does not need long day length to form tubers unlike oca and ulluco.

Edible Uses

Yacon can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a crispy texture, they become sweeter if you keep them for some time pre eating.