Growing Yacon, also Sunroot

Smallanthus sonchifolius : Asteraceae / the daisy family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in USA - Zone 5a regions

  • Easy to grow. Plant sprouting root/tuber to a depth of about 4cm and mulch to cover. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 inches apart
  • Harvest in approximately 25 weeks. You can collect a few at a time without digging out the whole plant..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Best in separate bed

Your comments and tips

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16 Feb 12, Julie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can you please tell me where I can buy this plant
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03 Aug 13, l Al Fry (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Julie, I can let you have some yacon small tubers ready for planting if you want, No charge , you just to pay postage. Al
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19 Jul 14, Daniel C (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Al, I'd like some tubers too .if you don't mind. I'd pay for the postage. Thanks . Daniel
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28 Mar 13, Matt from Canberra (Australia - temperate climate)
Many people sell yacon from their gardens, look for it on allclassifieds.com.au during the winter time.
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06 Aug 12, stephen (Australia - temperate climate)
Diggers club
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26 May 11, Jo (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
You can also peel, slice, dip in water and lemon juice and put in a dehydrator. Once dry, eat as chips or grind into a flour to use as a sugar substitute. :D
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In July I planted some tubers I got from my relative in the Blue Mountains ...cold up there. Came back to Brisbane and left them lying around for a few days before I got round to finding a big enough garden bag/soil to plant in. Put them NOT too deep in organic compacted soil and in a week or two they shot up. Now in September they are growing very quickly and looking great. The tubers had gone a bit 'soft' before I planted them but all seems to have gone fine...so far. Not sure when they may reach flower and die back. Excited to see what happens.

- Linda B

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