Jerusalem artichoke

Also known as Sunroot, Sunchoke, Topinambur, Earth Apple

Jerusalem artichokes tower over fields and stream banks with thick, hairy stems topped by cheerful yellow blossoms in late summer. Underground, their fleshy tubers store carbohydrates as inulin, allowing vast clonal patches to persist through harsh winters. Indigenous North Americans cultivated these resilient perennials long before European arrival, spreading them along major river valleys.