The Chinese Artichoke, a native of China and Japan, is not actually an artichoke. Rather, it is a dwarf, herbaceous perennial and first cousin to lavender, mints, and salvias. The leaves are aromatic and the whitish-pale pink flowers are a bee, butterfly, and hummingbird treat. These attributes aside, the plant is treasured for the small tubers that grow at the tips of underground stems. Crosne or more commonly Crone is the more common name used in the United States.

The plant needs a bit of space and can be a valuable ground-cover in central Texas. The plant is adaptable to multiple soils but tuber production does require moderate moisture. The tubers are best harvested in the fall when the top growth has died back. Even the newest tuber should be lifted and the area cleaned. Tubers can be stored and the smaller ones replanted for next year’s crop. When mature, the tubers are approximately 1 inch in size and appear to be small, white tubular segments of root.

The Chinese use this tuber traditionally in stir-fry mixed with vegetables or boiled in soups. Once cooked, the tubers have a sweet, nutty taste not unlike pecans. They can also be eaten raw in salads. These “artichokes” can be cooked like turnips or asparagus by blanching them unpeeled.