ABSTRACT
Wild Jerusalem artichoke is native to the eastern and southern United States and tropical America. The species was cultivated by Native Americans in pre-Columbian times, and this likely expanded its natural distribution area. Jerusalem artichoke is a stout herbaceous plant resembling a sunflower, growing 1-3.7 m (3-12 feet) tall. It is a perennial, overwintering by its tubers (swollen underground stems), but is commonly grown as an annual. Jerusalem artichoke tubers are a specialty vegetable, consumed much like potatoes—with or without their skins, boiled, baked, roasted, fried, steamed, mashed, sautéed, and incorporated into soups and stews. Jerusalem artichoke is a significant vegetable and industrial crop. It has been thought to have considerable potential, and this has resulted in large attempts to expand its market over the last several decades. Jerusalem artichoke can be used as a coffee substitute or coffee additive.
