Name: Crosnes - Chinese Artichokes
SKU: 2025-01
Availability: InStock

Crosnes – Chinese Artichokes

$9.50

Crosnes (Stachys affinis) is a hardy perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae) that grows to around 30–45 cm tall and spreads 30–60 cm. It prefers full sun to light shade and thrives in loose, fertile, well-drained soil with consistent moisture. This clumping plant is best known for its curious, spiralled white tubers, harvested in autumn–winter. Crosnes is mainly grown as a Culinary Herb/Vegetable, valued for its nutty, artichoke-like flavour and crisp texture. It also holds cottage-garden appeal with its mint-like leaves and small purple flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. In New Zealand, it is hardy, tolerating frosts well, but tubers should be harvested or mulched to avoid rot in heavy winter soils.

Description

Crosnes, also known as Chinese artichoke, Japanese artichoke, or knotroot (Stachys affinis), is a perennial member of the mint family prized for its edible underground tubers. The plant itself forms a low clump of green, nettle-like leaves with spikes of small purple flowers in summer that are attractive to bees. Beneath the soil, however, is where its true treasure lies: small, ivory-white tubers shaped like little spiralled shells or pearls.

Native to China and introduced to Europe in the 1800s, Crosnes quickly became a delicacy in French cuisine, valued for its crisp texture and mild, nutty flavour often likened to a blend of artichoke, water chestnut, and hazelnut. The tubers can be eaten raw, stir-fried, lightly steamed, roasted, or pickled — they retain a pleasant crunch when cooked.

In the garden, Crosnes thrives in loose, sandy soils where the tubers can swell freely. It appreciates regular watering, especially during the growing season, and benefits from being mulched in summer to conserve moisture. Tubers are ready for harvest once the plant begins to die back in late autumn. They do not store well once lifted and are best eaten fresh, though they will hold for a short time in damp sand or soil in a cool spot.

In New Zealand conditions, Crosnes is frost-hardy and easy to grow, but it can spread if not contained. Planting in raised beds or large tubs makes harvest easier and keeps it in check. It is a wonderful crop for adventurous gardeners looking for something unusual and delicious to add to their plate, while also offering pollinator support with its summer flowers.