Saturday, October 17, 2009

Jerusalem artichoke?


Most people, including me, wouldn't call these weeds. But they come up every year in the park next door and I've never been sure what they are. Deer don't eat them so I'd like to borrow a few plants for my yard in the hope they'll spread.

3 comments:

  1. The only way that I know how to positively ID jerusalem artechoke is to dig one up and see itf it has tubers. But do make sure you have permission before you dig plants from someone else's property. Digging plants from wild spaces has been very harmful to many species of plant as well as to the locations that the plants were dug.

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  2. You can purchase jerusalem artechokes here: http://davesgarden.com/products/market/view/4459/ and http://gurneys.com/product.asp?pn=14000&bhcd2=1256568490

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  3. I'd say Helianthus maximilliani, Maximillian Sunflower for these. Jerusalem Artichoke have a more heart-shaped leaf. Another Sunflower has this linear leaf, Helianthus salicifolius, Willowleaf Sunflower, but the leaves seem narrower than this, and the flowers a bit diferent also. See the Native Pant Information Network at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin. A huge amount of info and pictures of native plants: http://www.wildflower.org/

    You can buy these seeds at Prairie Moon Nursery online...a fantastic source of native plant seed: http://www.prairiemoon.com/

    ps, I don't work for them, I've ordered from them for almost 10 years, and the seed and plant quality is great. They know natives. I agree with the "don't dig from wild places" idea.

    pps, Maximillian sunflower seed needs less stratifying than recommended; they started germinating for me in much less than the recommended strat. time while they were still in the refrigerator. And, finally, they are pretty agressive, spreading out by rhizomes.

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