Product Review

Yacon (also yacón or yakon, Smallanthus sonchifolius; previously Polymnia sonchifolia), pronounced yah-CONE, is a member of the family Asteraceae, a relative of sunflowers, dahlias, Jerusalem artichokes, and many other common edible and ornamental plants. In English, yacon is sometimes called things like Bolivian sunroot, Peruvian ground apple, and the rather romantic, but confusing "yacon strawberry." The plant looks generally similar to a sunflower and typically grows 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) tall, although some varieties may grow as tall as 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m) in the ideal climate. In fact, it is possible that some varieties reach nearly 10 feet (3m) tall (Vitali 2015). Flowers form between five and nine months after planting, with most varieties starting at about 6 1/2 months. They look like small sunflowers. The edible part of the plant is its cluster of storage roots. The cluster may include more than a dozen large roots, especially if the plant is grown as a perennial. The roots are crisp, very juicy, and mildly sweet and are used more like a fruit than a vegetable.