Helianthus tuberosus -L.-
Jerusalem artichoke


Entry Type: Species

Species Name: Helianthus tuberosus -L.-

Common Name: Jerusalem artichoke

Myaamia Name: oonsaapeehkateeki

Description:

Harvest Seasons: Summer, Spring

Harvest Comments:

Habitats: Oak Forest including Oak-Hickory, Beech-Oak-Maple Mixed Mesophytic, Conifer Shrubland and Forest

Uses: Food, Medicinal

Locations: Undetermined

Sources

Rafert, S. 1989

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

"As soon as they found out about it, they used the Jerusalem artichoke, but they didn't have 'em native here in this country".

Comments: N/A

Kellogg, L.P. 1923

Reference Type: Use - Food/Medicinal

Archival Data:

Oil from the seeds is used for rubbing on the skin. "The Indians make no other use of the turnsoles, but to extract from them an oil with which they rub themselves: this is more commonly drawn from the seeds than from the root of this plant. This root differs little from what we call in France topinambours or apples of the earth".

Comments: N/A

Kellogg, L.P. 1923

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Sunflowers are grown as a crop, probably indicating the jerusalem artichoke.

Comments: N/A

Kellogg, L.P. 1923

Reference Type: Horticultural Info

Archival Data:

Sunflowers, along with watermelons and gourds are first sprouted in a hot-bed and then transplanted into crop fields.

Comments: N/A

Rafert, S. 1989

Reference Type: Horticultural Info

Archival Data:

"But as soon as they found out about them they cultivated them and used them".

Comments: N/A

Gonella, M.P 2003-2006

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Tubers gathered, cooked and eaten.

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. 1919

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Tubers eaten, called "Indian potatoes";  "the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosa) appears to me to meet his [Perrot's] description more nearly than any other plant, and its tubers were eaten by the Indians".

Comments: N/A

Dunn, J.P. ca. 1900

Reference Type: Use - Food

Archival Data:

Tubers of this plant were eaten. "onzapäkatäkĭ", "indian potatoes".

Comments: N/A

Gleason, H.A. and Cronquist, A. 1991

Reference Type: Habitat

Archival Data :

Occurs in moist soils in disturbed areas and fencerows throughout eastern and western Myaamia lands.

Comments: N/A

McPherson, A. and S. McPherson. 1977

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Many Indian tribes of North America used the tubers of this plant for food. Sometimes, archaeologists are able to locate the sites of old Indian villages by the presence of large stands of Jerusalem artichoke plants. Spanish explorers brought this plant back to Europe where it was cultivated and sold as girasol, the spanish word for sunflower. The English incorrectly tranformed girasol to Jerusalem, and the artichoke part of the name comes presumably from the tubers taste.

Comments: N/A

Clark, J.E 1993

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

The Shawnee collected this plant for food.

Comments: N/A

Bush L. L. 2003

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Archaeological studies have demonstrated that sunflowers [including a variety of Helianthus spp.] were either cultivated or "strongly encouraged in wild stands" as a food resource by Late Woodland (prior to 700 A.D) indigenous peoples of central and southern Indiana.

Comments: N/A

Chubey, B. and D. Dorrell 1983

Reference Type: Related Info

Archival Data:

Total reducing sugar content increased as tubers enlarged in the fall and decreased in the spring when stem sprouts began to elongate. Fructose content decreased as fall progressed, but remained stable as spring progressed. Best to harvest through fall until ground freezes, and as soon as ground thaws in spring to eliminate much storage and resulting loss of sugar content.

Comments: N/A

Legends

  • L.: L. stands for Carl Linneaus, a Swedish botanist and zoologist living from 1707 - 1778, who formed the binomial nomenclature system for scientific naming of species (the two part name). His initial after a scientific name indicates he was the authority for that species name.
  • sp.: Indicates the actual species name cannot or need not be specified. Example: Lilium sp. indicates a single species in the genus Lilium that is not known or does not need to be specified.
  • spp.: (plural) indicates "several species", two or more species of the given genus. Example: Lilium spp. indicates 2 or more species in the genus that cannot or do not need to be distinguished.
  • Use - Unknown: A record for this plant exists but does not include explicit information about the plant's cultural use. It is probable the Myaamia used the plant.
  • Botanical Sources: Sources of any botanical data for this plant species that is not related to its cultural use or significance.
  • Related Sources: Data indirectly related to Myaamia ethnobotany, including non-Myaamia uses of the plant in contemporary and historic times.
  • Myaamia Archival Sources: All records of plant use obtained directly from a Myaamia tribal member in an interview, recorded by a second party or by self-recording.
  • Undetermined (Plant Use): There exists use or other information about a certain, unknown plant species, but the specific species has not yet been determined.
  • Medicinal: For the purposes of this database, medicinal uses of plants and medicinal knowledge are defined as: Commonly held communal knowledge regarding the use of plant-based substances that aid in maintaining a healthy mind, body or spirit, including tonics and teas.
  • Technology: For the purposes of this database, technological uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in the making of food processing, canoes, rafts, dyes, tools, utensils, weapons, hunting and fishing gear (i.e. net, weir, etc.), cordage, string, rope, fodder plant species, firewood, any plants used in trade, etc.
  • Material: For the purposes of this database, material uses of plants are defined as: Plants used in construction of dwellings (floor mats, roofing, side walls), furniture, baskets, storage items, musical instruments, games, crafts, jewelry, cordage used in crafts, etc.
  • Food: For the purposes of this database, food uses of plants are defined as: Plants used as consumed food, spices and seasonings, but not teas or tonics.
  • Customs: For the purposes of this database, customary uses of plants are defined as: Plants involved in a customary ceremony, ritual or traditional event, including ritual smoking, chewing tobacco, war rituals, special mats used to sit on during ceremonies. Customary uses of plants, in this database, does not including plants used for recreation (material), structures where ceremonies take place (material) or medicinal smoking (medicinal).
  • Eastern Myaamia Lands: Eastern Myaamia lands (eastern myaamionki) are centered around northern Indiana, and including western Ohio, eastern Illinois, southern Michigan, and the northernmost portions of Kentucky.
  • Western Myaamia Lands: Western Myaamia lands (western myaamionki) include western Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma.