Jerusalem Artichoke

Latin name: Helianthus tuberosus
Plant Family:  Aster (Asteraceae)
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Eastern North America
Growing: Grow in full sun or partial shade and give it a lot of water. It can grow up to 7-8 feet tall so be careful where you site it in your garden so that it doesn't shade out other plants. 
Edibility: The tubers are large and are our highest yielding perennial on the farm. The tubers also have a high water content and can be used as a substitute for cabbage in lacto-fermentations.
Medicinal uses: None that is known.
Permaculture Uses: It produces large amounts of biomass for both compost and chicken feed. It can be used as a trellis plant for peas and other vine crops. I've also used it to break up compact soils with it's huge tubers.
Price: $5 per plant