Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Helianthus tuberosus
Tuberous sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Helianthus tuberosus subcanescens, Helianthus tuberosus var. subcanescens

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
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F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
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O
0
N
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D
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Dicot-herb, perennial

Roots: adventitious, fibrous, rhizomes, tubers

Shoots: simple leaf type; serrate leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; oblong, obovate leaf shape

Inflorescence: head

Flowers: perfect; complete, regular, irregular; yellow; epigynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Sloughs; often in alluvial soils of valleys; waste ground; roads; railroads. Both native and escaped from cultivation; with Acer negundo. Moist rich soil; native and escaped from cultivation. Often with Acer negundo.

ILPIN Notes: Upper and middle leaves alternate, moderately and inconspicuously pubescent below with mostly appressed hairs. Tubers present on many plants. Troublesome when established in cultivated fields. Tubers eaten raw, cooked, or pickled. Contain the carbohydrate inulin with the fruit sugar levulose, which can be eaten by diabetics. Other possible uses- seeds-breadstuff, oil, soup, coffee substitute. Disk florets fertile, perfect; ray florets sterile. Rogers, C. E., T. E. Thompson, and G. J. Seiler. 1982. Sunflower species of the United States. National Sunflower Association, Bismarck, North Dakota. 75 pp. All leaves opposite except possibly uppermost, densely pubescent below with loose or spreading hairs. Tubers eaten raw, cooked, or pickled. Contain the carbohydrate inulin with the fruit sugar levulose, which can be eaten by diabetics. Possible use of seeds as: breadstuff, oil, soup, coffee substitute. Disk florets perfect and fertile; ray florets sterile.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 3
  • Chicago Area: 3

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