Description

(Smallanthus sonchifolius)

Flavours/Food Partners:

Yacon produces crisp, juicy underground tubers with a refreshing flavour often described as a blend of apple, pear and melon. Enjoy fresh in salads and fruit platters or pair with citrus, mint, berries and leafy greens for a sweet, crunchy addition to summer dishes.

Health/Cooking/Medicinal:

Yacon eats well cooked and raw so it can be used at all stages of cooking. Early for roasting, soups, casseroles etc, late for stir-fries and raw for salads. Widely used by the tribes of the Andes where it was taken to promote gut health, sugar balance and weight management. It is high in anti-oxidants and contains many vitamins, including C, B1 and B2 that are all essential for optimum health.

Landscaping/Planting:

An attractive perennial reaching 1.5-2m tall, with lush foliage ans small sunflower-like blooms. Ideal for kitchen gardens, productive borders and edible landscapes. Plant in a sunny position with rich, well-drained soil. Most growth happens from late spring. Harvest in late autumn after foliage browns and starts to die off. The crown can be replanted to produce next season’s crop.

Cultivation/Fertiliser:

Regular applications of Seasol and Powerfeed in spring and summer will keep the plant healthy and growing well.

Herb Attributes