Yacon Crown – Smallanthus sonchifolius
$8.00
Sweet Andean Tuber | Prebiotic Superfood | Productive Perennial
This is for 1 bare rooted dormant crown that will start growing in Spring. These are frost tender, store them in damp but not wet potting mix or damp woodshavings out of the frost until risk of frost has passed, then plant.
Grow Your Own Crisp, Sweet Yacon
Add a fun, productive, and delicious perennial to your garden with Yacon crowns. This vigorous Andean plant produces tall stems with large, lush green leaves and small yellow daisy-like flowers in autumn. Below ground it forms clusters of juicy, sweet tubers that taste like a cross between apple, pear, and watermelon — crisp when eaten raw.
Yacon is excellent for vegetable gardens, food forests, and sunny borders. One plant can produce a generous harvest of tubers that store well and continue to sweeten after harvest.
10 in stock
Description
Culinary & Traditional Uses
- Culinary: Eat the tubers raw in salads, slaws, stir-fries, or as a refreshing snack. They can also be roasted, baked, stir-fried, or made into syrup, pickles, and jams. The flavour becomes sweeter and more aromatic after a few weeks of storage. Leaves can be used to make a mild herbal tea.
- Nutritional & Health Benefits: Very low in calories and high in fructooligosaccharides (FOS) — a powerful prebiotic that feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Supports digestion, blood sugar balance, and may help with weight management. Rich in antioxidants and potassium.
- Traditional Uses: In the Andes, yacon has been cultivated for centuries as a refreshing food and for digestive health, diabetes support, and general vitality. The leaves have been used traditionally as a tea for kidney and liver support.
Note: A nutritious food plant. Consult a healthcare provider for specific medicinal use.
Why Grow Yacon?
- Highly productive — one crown can yield several kilograms of tubers
- Sweet, crisp texture unlike any other home-grown vegetable
- Perennial — regrows from the crown each year
- Attracts pollinators with its late-season flowers
- Tough, fast-growing, and relatively pest-resistant
- Excellent for New Zealand gardens with a long, warm growing season
Loves warm summers and performs very well in fertile, sunny spots with good summer moisture.
How to Grow Yacon Crowns
Planting:
- Plant crowns in spring after all frost risk has passed.
- Set crowns 5–10 cm (2–4 inches) deep with the buds pointing upward.
- Space plants 60–90 cm (24–36 inches) apart.
Soil & Care:
- Prefers rich, fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of compost.
- Full sun for best tuber production.
- Water regularly to keep soil moist (especially during dry spells) — mulch heavily.
- Tall plants may benefit from staking in windy areas.
Growth & Harvest:
- Height: 1.5–2.5 metres (5–8 feet)
- Harvest: Tubers are ready in late autumn when the tops die back. Leave the central crown in the ground to regrow next season. Separate and replant smaller crowns for more plants.
- Store tubers in a cool, dark place — they improve in sweetness over time.
- Frost tender — protect or lift crowns in cold winters.
Yacon is easy, rewarding, and one of the most exciting perennial vegetables you can grow.
Ready to grow your own sweet, crunchy superfood?
Strong, vigorous stock — limited seasonal availability! Available May-Sept
