Crosne

Perennial plant which comes from Asia, it is also named crosne, Chinese artichoke, Japanese artichoke, knotroot, or artichoke betony. It is a root plant like the potato. It is very used in Asian countries where it is cultivated for its white tubers, with a fine sweet taste. They can be eaten with cream or in association with other ancient vegetables such as parsnips or Jerusalem artichokes. The roots can be fried, candied or eaten in salad. It is part of the Lamiaceae family. There is only one variety of Japanese crosne. It is easy to grow.

Japanese crosnes can be planted in the ground from March. You can find fresh tubers to plant at a producer or garden center. The plant prefers a sunny position in the garden. The soil must be light. Avoid soils that are too dry or too wet.

You will have to make a ridging as for the culture of potatoes. Thanks to this, you will be able to enjoy a much larger crop. It is also important not to let the soil dry out, especially if the temperatures are high. Fortunately, potatoes are not a fragile vegetable and rarely fall victim to diseases or pests. To know when to harvest your crosne roots, you will have to wait until the foliage dries out, that is to say, from November. You can harvest throughout the winter. A spade fork is necessary for harvesting in order not to damage the tubers.