How to grow Sunchoke
Updated October 2026
Sunchoke, also called Jerusalem artichoke or sunroot, is a native North American sunflower grown for its knobby, nutty tubers. It is almost too easy: plants reach 6 to 10 feet, flower in late summer, and spread from every piece of tuber left behind, so give it a permanent spot of its own.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Sunchoke
Not to be confused with: Sunchoke is not related to globe artichoke, which is grown for its flower bud. It is a perennial sunflower.
Where to plant
Sunchokes grow in full or part sun in almost any well-drained soil, and do best in slightly alkaline ground around pH 7 to 7.5. Heavy, waterlogged clay lowers yields, and they do not like deep shade. Loose, fertile soil gives the biggest, smoothest tubers and makes digging easier.
Plant them where they can stay. Sunchoke spreads by rhizomes and tubers, and NC State Extension warns that any tiny piece left in the soil will sprout. A bed at the edge of the garden, away from other crops, works best. The tall stems may need staking in windy spots.
- The Northeast, Midwest, Northern Plains, Mountain West, Pacific Northwest, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, Southern Plains and Alaska: plant tubers in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked.
- Northern California: plant in late winter or early spring.
- The Deep South, including Florida and the Gulf Coast: sunchokes grow, but NC State notes they are generally not suited to commercial growing in the South. Plant at the times shown in the calendar.
How to plant
- Plant whole tubers, or pieces with at least two or three strong buds, like seed potatoes. Do not let cut pieces dry out before planting.
- Set them about 4 to 6 inches deep and 12 to 24 inches apart, in rows 18 inches to 4 feet apart.
- Mulch to hold moisture, and hill soil around the stems as they grow if you like.
Watering and feeding
Sunchokes tolerate dry spells but yield best with consistent moisture, especially while the tubers swell in late summer and fall. In reasonable soil they need little feeding.
Pruning and care through the year
- Stake or group plants so they support each other in wind.
- Cut the stems back after flowering, or leave the seed heads for finches.
- To keep a patch from spreading, dig every tuber you can find each year and replant only what you want, or mow or pull shoots that come up outside the bed.
Harvesting
Dig tubers in fall, about two weeks after the flowers fade, usually from October to December, once frost has cut back the tops. Cut the tops after the first frost. You can leave tubers in the ground and dig as needed through winter where the soil does not freeze hard. Dig thoroughly; tubers left behind come up next year.
Using it
The tubers are crisp like water chestnuts with a sweet, nutty flavor. Eat them raw, or boil, mash or roast them like potatoes. They store their energy as inulin rather than starch, which is why some people find them cause gas; start with small helpings.
Companion planting
Sunchokes are tall and shade their neighbors, so plant them on the north side of the garden where they will not block sun from other crops.
Good companions
- Sunflower A close relative with the same needs; both feed bees and birds.
- Sweet corn Another tall crop that can share the back of the garden.
- Bush beans A low crop that can sit on the sunny side of a sunchoke bed.
Pests and diseases
Sunchokes have few serious problems. Leaf diseases are common late in the season but rarely affect the tubers much.
Pests to watch for
- Slugs Holes chewed in tubers and young shoots in damp soil.
Diseases to watch for
- Rust Orange-brown pustules on the leaves late in summer.
- Powdery mildew White powdery coating on older leaves.
- Sclerotinia White, cottony mold at the stem base with hard black bodies; remove affected plants.
Common questions
Is sunchoke invasive?
In the garden it can be. It spreads by rhizomes and tubers, self-seeds, and any small piece left in the soil sprouts. It is native to North America, but plant it in its own bed away from other crops and dig thoroughly each fall.
When do I harvest sunchokes?
In fall, about two weeks after the flowers fade, usually October to December. You can leave tubers in the ground and dig them as you need them through winter.
What do sunchokes taste like?
Raw, they are crisp like water chestnuts with a sweet, nutty flavor. Cooked, they are soft like potato. They store inulin rather than starch, and some people find them hard to digest, so try a small helping first.
How tall do sunchokes grow?
Usually 6 to 10 feet, with yellow sunflower-like flowers in late summer and fall. Plant them where they will not shade other crops.
Can I grow sunchokes from store-bought tubers?
Yes. Plant firm tubers, or pieces with two or three buds, in early spring about 4 to 6 inches deep.
Sources we checked: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Helianthus tuberosus; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness: Jerusalem artichoke (specialty crop profile).
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