Yacon | Ground Apple | Smallanthus sonchifolius

Growing crowns of the yacon ready for planting now.

From Wikipedia: "The yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is a species of daisy traditionally grown in the northern and central Andes from Colombia to northern Argentina for its crisp, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots"

Their crisp texture and flavour is very similar to a nashi pear or sweet apple. From Wikipedia: "yacón has some slightly sweet, resinous, and floral (similar to violet) undertones to its flavour, probably due to the presence of inulin, which produces the sweet taste of the roots of elecampane, as well."

The edible tuber, which looks like a pointed potato or pale kumara, which grow from these crowns, is mostly of water and various polysaccharides. Used raw though there are various recipes online.

Google Yacon for images of the growing plant and edible tuber.

*Note: it is the crowns being offered for sale here, for growing. Not the tuber, for eating.