How to Grow Chinese Artichokes (Crosnes) in Canada
I bought my first crosnes in 2023 from a vendor on Etsy. They were sold as Chinese artichokes, and after growing Jerusalem artichokes since 2009, I was very excited. I expected them to be about the size of a Jerusalem artichoke. When I opened the pack, I was shocked at how small they were.
I have been growing them ever since. Crosnes hold in the ground through harsh Canadian winters, start growing again in spring, and give you food you can eat raw. Here is how I grow them, along with what other growers have learned.
What Are Crosnes?
Crosnes (Stachys affinis) are small, spiral shaped tubers from a perennial plant in the mint family. They are also called Chinese artichokes, Japanese artichokes, knotroot, chorogi and artichoke betony. Despite the names, they are not related to artichokes or Jerusalem artichokes. The word is pronounced like “crone”.
They were introduced to Europe in the 1880s, first in France, where they were grown near Crosne and took that name.
Will Crosnes Survive a Canadian Winter?
Yes. In my experience they hold in the ground incredibly well through harsh Canadian winters and start growing again in spring.
Nurseries commonly list them as hardy to zone 5, and I list them to zone 4 with a good layer of mulch. One grower on the UBC Botanical Garden forum grew them in Edmonton and reported that they overwintered well.
When to Plant Crosnes in Canada
I plant mine directly in the ground in either fall or spring.
Fall: plant 2 to 4 weeks before your first expected frost, and before the ground freezes solid.
Spring: plant once the ground can be worked.
If you can’t plant right away, keep the tubers in a slightly damp medium in the fridge, because they dry out quickly. I ship tubers in both spring and fall.
Where to Plant Crosnes
I always grow mine in full sun with good soil.
Crosnes will thrive in ordinary garden soil that is not too heavy, and they grow best in soil that is well fed and does not dry out during the growing season. Promesse de Fleurs says they grow in most soils, ideally rich and sandy, and suggests adding sand to heavy soil.
Choose well drained ground. Sources disagree about wet winter soil. Practical Plants says the plants seem to tolerate it, while one UK grower warns the tubers can rot.
How to Plant and Space Crosnes
Food historian William Woys Weaver has grown crosnes for more than 20 years. He plants them 3 inches deep and at least 12 inches apart for big tubers, and says spacing can make or break production. He also thins spring volunteers to 12 inches.
How Much Water Do Crosnes Need?
Water is the one thing they are fussy about. Weaver says they are very sensitive to drought, and he lost his entire crop in the drought of 2002. Richard de Wilde of Harmony Valley Farm in Wisconsin says they need steady moisture until harvest.
Water regularly in dry spells without leaving the soil soggy. Mulch helps hold moisture and keeps down weeds.
How to Get Bigger Crosnes
My harvests are abundant, with tubers ranging from small to tiny. Mine grow larger when they are left in the soil to grow as a perennial.
Weaver has another method. When the foliage reaches a foot tall, he shears it back to 6 inches or less and never lets the plants flower. He says this directs growth into the roots.
Give them time as well. The plants take 5 to 7 months to develop their tubers.
Do Crosnes Spread?
Yes, they spread like mint. You will not find every tuber when you dig, and the ones you miss come back.
For food security, I feel it is good to have an invasive food growing that can be contained by digging it up and eating it! If you want to keep them in check, harvest from the edges of the patch each year, mulch around it with cardboard and straw, or grow them in a large pot or barrel.
When and How to Harvest Crosnes
Dig once the foliage dies back after frost, using a fork and working gently around the plant.
You don’t need to dig them all in fall. You can dig them as needed through the winter. Just mark the spot with a stick so you know where to clear the snow and dig.
Spring is my favourite surprise. When you forget to harvest some plants in the fall, you see a large patch growing, and then you can dig them up for a delicious early spring meal. Promesse de Fleurs says the harvest can be spread from November to March, and to leave them in the ground until you need them.
How to Store Crosnes
Crosnes don’t store well for long periods out of the ground. The best place to keep them is in the ground, where you can dig them as you need them. When I do store them, I keep them in a damp medium like peat moss, in the fridge or somewhere cool that won’t freeze.
If you also grow sunchokes, I have a separate guide on how to store Jerusalem artichokes for winter.
How to Eat Crosnes
It surprised me how great they are raw. You don’t need to peel them. I just scrub mine and toss them in a fry pan for a quick fry with coconut oil.
Most recipes use butter. Keep the cooking short, because long cooking makes them mushy. Here are some crosnes recipes to try:
Crosnes Sautéed in Butter
This is Escoffier’s classic. Cook the crosnes until still fairly firm, then drain and dry them well. Toss in hot butter until coloured and finish with chopped parsley.
Garlic Butter Crosnes
From Friends and Food. Brown about 1 pound of crosnes and 2 chopped garlic cloves in hot butter for about 10 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
Crosnes and Peas
From Hank Shaw at Honest Food. Boil 12 ounces of crosnes in salted water for 2 minutes, then chill them in ice water. Stir fry with 3 sliced garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons of butter or duck fat, then add 1 cup of peas for a minute. Finish with parsley, lemon juice and pepper.
Crosnes, Pear and Hazelnut Salad
From Mother Earth News. Simmer 1 cup of crosnes for 2 minutes with garlic and lemon juice, then let them sit off the heat for 5 minutes. Serve over greens with sliced pears, toasted hazelnuts and a hazelnut oil vinaigrette.
Pickled Chorogi with Sesame
From consoGlobe. Blanch about 3 1/2 ounces of crosnes until tender. Put them, still hot, into a jar with a scant 1/2 cup of rice vinegar and 4 tablespoons of sugar, and leave for 3 days to a week. Before serving, drain them and toss with white sesame paste, a little of the soaking vinegar, soy sauce and sesame seeds.
In Japan, crosnes are pickled with red shiso or plum vinegar, which turns them bright red, and served at New Year.
Why I Think Every Canadian Food Garden Needs Crosnes
Crosnes are a great source of food that can be tucked into an area of the garden, like a food forest, and left to do their thing. It is great to have foods that can be eaten raw and will hold in the ground all winter.
If you are here because you love sunchokes, I have also written about how to eat sunchokes without gas and the truth about eating sunchokes every day.
Where to Buy Crosnes in Canada
Crosnes can be hard to find here. One Ontario gardener on the UBC Botanical Garden forum had an order refused because the US supplier couldn’t ship roots to Canada.
You can find my crosne tubers at Garden Faerie Botanicals. I grow every tuber I sell myself, naturally, without sprays, chemical fertilizers or manure. I guarantee every tuber will sprout, except those eaten by rodents or gophers.