Our food forest plant nursery

Forests can be highly diverse ecosystems, with a range of species, each one occupying an ecological niche created and sustained by many others

Food forests are designed to mimic an open woodland, or forest edge in its structure and diversity

Some or all of the species selected for these systems produce food,  have medicinal properties, or other yields and benefits for humans, wildlife and soil life

Seven layers can be distinguished in many mature forest systems, and this can be recreated in the design of a food forest

We have divided our range of plants into these seven layers below, to give you a clearer sense of where they belong in an ecosystem

 

please check out our stocklist for availability and remember that  we grow and offer plants in different forms, available at different times of year.

  1. All tree/plant sizes, including their pot size, will be listed in our stocklist when they become available

  2. All bare-root & potted plants are available for shipping in winter to early spring. 

  3. Some potted plants are available for shipping spring/summer, see our stocklist 

  4. Local delivery may be possible depending on the order, if you'd prefer this please contact us before ordering

  5.  Local pickup all year-round : )

Canopy Layer

The tallest trees providing shade, protection and fertility for the layers below creating a microclimate that reduces wind and retains moisture.

Fruit and Nut Bearing Trees

Wild Apple

£15

The wild Scottish apple, these trees are our own native apples

more info

These wild apples are rather special, in that they have been sourced from trees that have not crossed with domestic apples, so we can say that these are Scottish trees native to the south west of Scotland.

Like all crab apples they are hardy, resilient trees producing small and abundant, tart apples that can be used in jams, jellies, ciders, or left for animal and insect life.

Their dense foliage, blossoms and abundant fruit are magnets for wildlife, eg. providing early blossoms for over 100 insects.

Our wild seed has been sourced from some of the small native Scottish wild apple populations, partly because of this they are particularly disease resistant and adapted to the Scottish climate, making them low-maintenance.

Each one is unique.

Apple

available 2025

Hardy cultivars selected for their quality and reliability in the Scottish climate

more info

We grow a mix of the best disease resisitant named cultivars suited to the Scottish climate as well as some heritage apples; many are both.

On top of resilient qualities we hope to offer varieties that excel in taste and/or storability 

*Look out for our grafted apples in Spring*

Quince

available 2025

An aromatic and low-maintenance small tree with golden-yellow fruit

more info

Quince is a very hardy fruit tree, with particularly fragrant, golden-yellow fruit which has historically been cooked and/or preserved 

 

Aromatnaya is a new variety from Russia, with some resistance to leaf blight. Its fruits are golden and, unusually, are even sweet enough to eat fresh, softening on ripening with a pineapple flavour

Kiwi

available 2025

 A vigorous, cold-tolerant vine that produces small, smooth-skinned, sweet-tart kiwis

more info

Yes, a kiwi you can grow in Scotland...not quite as large as the familiar fuzzy kiwifruit, but with a smooth, edible skin, and a much sweeter, deep, floral flavour. 

The vines themselves are beautiful with bright green leaves and red stems. 

Ideally grown on a sturdy trellis or pagoda, shade tolerant but will fruit best in half-day to full sun.

Male and female plants needed for pollination (except Issai) but only one male needed for 8 females. 

Cross-pollination can increase the size and yield of fruit even on self-fertile cultivars.

Geneva - female only

Issai (self-fertile) - male and female

Hazel

£8

Some of the best hazel cultivars and select seedlings from trees with large and easy-to-crack nuts

more info

Mulberry

available 2025

A hardy, long-lived fruit tree that produces deliciously purple berries rich in antioxidants

more info

Mulberry is a versatile, fruit-bearing tree with sweet uniquely flavoured berries

The tree is fast-growing, with large edible heart-shaped leaves.

Mulberries come in several varieties, including black, red, and white, each with slightly different flavors and growing habits.

The fruits are rich in vitamins, particularly vitamin C, and can be eaten fresh or dried, used in jams or baking

Mulberry trees are also valued for their hard wood and their ability to thrive in poor soil.

Collier - A hybrid selected from the wild (Morus alba x rubra) this is a particularly hardy, vigorous variety and produces abundant delicious fruits early for a mulberry, over about a 2 month period from around year 3. A long-lived, self fertile tree.

We grow one in a polytunnel and it seems like I could pick it forever.

Antonovka Apple

£20

Robust and very cold-hardy, prized for its large apples that are excellent for cooking, cider-making, and long-term storage

more info


The Antonovka apple is a hardy and resilient variety originating from Russia, known for its ability to thrive in cold climates.

It is known to miraculously come almost true from seed, unlike almost all other varieties of apple.

The apples are medium to large with a greenish-yellow skin that can sometimes blush with a light red in full sun. Antonovka apples have a tart, slightly acidic flavor, which mellows with storage, making them ideal for baking, cider making, and long-term storage.

The tree itself is vigorous and disease-resistant, growing well in less-than-ideal soils, which makes it an excellent rootstock.

I like the idea of using a long-lived apple, which has good versitile apples in its own right, as a rootstock for other varieties, and so all other varieties we grow are available on Antonovka.

But here it is in its own right, an amazing apple. 

Cherry

available 2025

Both wild cherry and the best cherry cultivars found to do well in the North of the UK

more info

Another tree that is magnetic to wildlife, cherries feel like an essential tree in the UK landscape, and thrives in our temperate climate, a generous and robust tree, and actually, my favorite fruit to pick, and thats saying something.

We hope to offer many varieties and cultivars of cherry in the coming years, but here is what we have at the moment.

Wild cherry - these are native wild cherry, growing up to 8 meters

Selected seedlings - These are babies of great mother trees, with particularly abundant and/or high quality fruit we or others have found

Cherry cultivar - Gisela, some grafted trees available in 2025

Elder

available 2025

A versatile fruiting shrub known for its  fragrant white flowers and dark purple berries, used fresh and in syrups/wines

more info

Elder trees are stacked with gifts.

They act as an excellent windbreak, a sturdy living fence, and provide shelter and food for birds and small mammals. We use them for this purpose in our chicken enclosure, and their favorite place to sit and doze is right at the base of them. They also wait for the berries to fall in autumn.

The tree can be coppiced if the stems reach a large enough size and propagated using cuttings of half-ripe or mature wood. Maintenance is low and the shrub will grow quickly.

And of course both the flowers and berries are highly valued for their medicinal properties and can be used in teas, syrups, wines, and my favorite: cordial.

*Interestingly the name English name for elder originates from the anglo-saxon word,  “aeld” meaning “fire”, reflecting the practice of using hollowed elder stems as bellows to blow air into the center of a fire.

Franzi - Heavily fruiting elder orchard cultivar

Samnor - very heavy fruiting and vigorous

Sampo - Very large fruits, very high yields

Nitrogen Fixing Trees

These plants have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that live in nodules on their roots and convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, enriching the soil around them and providing fertility to nearby plants

Honey Locust

available 2025

Fast-growing, known for its feathery foliage, fragrant blossoms and edible seed pods, good for dappled shade + animal fodder

more info

Known for its long, fragrant seed pods, the tree produces sweet, edible pulp that can be used as livestock feed or for human consumption in various recipes. Its feathery, compound leaves turn golden in fall, and its adaptability to a wide range of soils, including poor and compacted conditions, makes it a valuable species for improving soil fertility.

With a broad, open canopy that provides light, dappled shade, it along with all the nitrogen fixing trees, can be an excellent nurse tree for more tender plants.

 

With thorns - We have chosen to offer the tree in its wild expression here, it can be used to incredible effect as a living (barbed wire) fence

Thornless - A more aproachable cultivar of thornless honey locust, available winter 2025

Hardy Acacia

available 2025

A pretty yet tough tree that can grow well in poor soil, offering many nectar-rich blossoms, and a light canopy that casts little shade

more info

Also known as black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia is known for its adundant, fragrant, white, pea-like flowers in late spring which bees love. They say more honey is made on an acre of black locust than an acre of any other flowering tree.

Growing as fast as willow, yet almost as dense as oak, its durable, rot-resistant wood is highly prized for use in construction and fencing, which can be left untreated and may not show any signs of breaking down for over ten years.

Valuable in its own right, it can also be used as a living fence, or due to its quick growth and light-allowing canopy, as a 'nursery' tree, helping other more tender trees get established around it

Italian Alder

available 2025

Excellent wind break tree, can provide a nursery canopy in food forest establishment, grows quickly and well in nearly all conditions

more info

Italian alder (Alnus cordata) is a valuable tree in a food forest due to its ability to fix nitrogen, improving soil fertility for surrounding plants. It forms a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in its root nodules, converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that benefits other plants. This makes it an excellent companion for fruit trees and other crops that thrive in nutrient-rich soil.

Italian alder also grows quickly and is remarkably wind-hardy, ideal for windbreaks and shelterbelts for smaller plants, I've never seen a wind-shaped Italian alder...

It can also serve as a living trellis for some of the less vigorous climbing vines.

Seaberry

£10

So good we included it twice! As well as being super-nutritious, seaberry is also a nitrogen fixer and a fantastic windbreak plant

more info

You may have seen the sea of orange berries in autumn on many beaches in Scotland. Although these characters may not be native to Scotland, we're glad they're here offering their superpowers to us and the ecosytems they are part of.

Sea buckthorn thrives in poor, sandy, or saline soils, making it perfect for erosion control, not only improving soil health but making some on the most nutritous berries in the world while they're at it.

It shrugs off the wind with its dense growth and makes excellent habitat.

Kublai - Our own variety, the most heavily bearing seaberry I've ever seen, good if you have only a small space for seaberry available and want to maximise quantity of fruit over other qualities. Decently harvestable fruit, moderately thorny, low growth habit.

Kublai seedlings - we also sell seedlings from the Kublai mother plant

Shrub Layer

Fruiting bushes which thrive in the dappled light of the upper layers. This layer is key for mid-sized crops and offers diverse yields close to the ground.

Berries and other fruiting shrubs

Blackcurrant

£6

One of the best soft fruit for the UK, reliably abundant and grows well in the shade

more info

Black currant is a compact, deciduous shrub that produces small, highly nutritious, dark purple-black berries.

Growing 3-6 feet tall, it thrives in cool climates and prefers moist, well-drained soil with partial shade, making it an essential shrub in closed canopy forest systems.

The berries are rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and other nutrients, and are commonly used in jams, juices, and desserts.

The best breeding work for blackcurrants has undoubtedly been done in Scotland, and has produced some incredible cultivars, of which we offer a select few. 

Big Ben -More than double the fruit size of standard varieties. Very high-yielding, up to 4.5 kg of fruit per mature bush. Sweet flavour ideal for fresh eating. Resistance to mildew and leaf spot...maybe the best black currant ever...

Ben Sarek - A compact shrub that only grows to about 1.2m tall. Has some frost resistance and resistance to mildew. Bears heavily in mid-July, large fruit.

Ben Alder - A late season blackcurrant producing good crops of small to medium blackcurrants that are particularly good for juice and wine making, but also suitable for desserts and preserves. Late flowering so usually escapes frost damage in spring. Shows good resistance to mildew. Self-fertile

Ben Connan - A compact bush with exceptionally large fruits, also has good resistant to mildew and leaf curling midge. Harvest in mid July

Gooseberry

£8

A unique and delicious large early summer berry once very popular in the UK

more info

A ripe gooseberry may be my favorite mix of flavours and textures of soft fruit in the world, and when picked genuinely ripe, this complexity of flavour can really be appreciated. 

A hardy, deciduous growing 3-5 feet tall, it thrives in temperate climates and tolerates a variety of soils, preferring well-drained conditions with partial shade.

The shrub’s spiny branches make it a good quardian of other plants or borders and a useful hedgerow plant in food forests.

Gooseberries have been cultivated in the UK since the 15th century, they were important because they were the first soft fruit of the summer, cropping well as far north as the Shetland and Orkney Islands.

Hinnonmaki Green - Reliably producing a bumper crop of larger than average green fruits, which have a sweet stewed-rhubarby centre and a curranty tartness in the skin which is very satisfying, very resistant to powdery mildew.

Honeyberry

available 2025

An extremely hardly and delicious berry relatively recently brought into cultivation

more info

Honeyberry, also known as haskap, is a very cold-hardy, deciduous shrub that produces small, elongated, blue-purple berries with a sweet-tart flavor, similar to blueberries.

Growing 4-6 feet tall, it thrives in cool climates and can tolerate a range of soils, though it prefers well-drained, slightly acidic conditions.

These shrubs bloom early in spring, attracting pollinators. It is highly resilient to cold, even surviving frosts down to -20°C, and, amazingly, the flowers can tolerate down to -7°C

They will ripen by the end of June, pretty much the earliest fruit crop possible in our climate.

With extremely high levels of antioxidants, significantly higher than most other berries.

Honeyberries are being trialled in Scotland 

Seaberry

named cultivars available 2025

One of the most nutrient dense berries in the world packed with anti-oxidants, omega fats and up to 10x the vitamin C of oranges!

more info

Nutrient-dense berries are a true superfood, loaded with vitamins C, E, and A, antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and incredibly, B12.

Mixing their juice with apple cider vinegar creates the ultimate winter fire cider.

Here we offer some of the cultivars bred for the quality of the berries.

Askola - A cultivar selected for its exceptionally high content of Vitamin C and E, with deep orange berries ripening in late August, available winter 2025

Leikora - A hybrid variety from Germany, with an abundant production of large orange fruits. Its fruit ripening period is from early October to mid-October. Wide, erect and vigorous bushy growth habit - available winter 2025

Thornless Blackberry

available 2025

High-yielding and easy-to-harvest, produces large blackberries without the hassle of thorns, perfect for fresh eating, desserts, and jams

more info

Bedford Gaint - Early fruiting variety that starts the blackberry picking season bearing fruit from late July to August. The fruits are borne in large clusters and are large, round and soft with a good flavour. This is a very vigorous variety so not ideal for a smaller garden

Merton - Large, succulent fruits, which appear in abundance in late summer and early autumn. A great option for smaller spaces.

Strawberry

coming soon

We offer many varieties of strawberry, both summer and ever-bearing, as well as ever-bearing alpine strawberries

more info

Strawberries make an amazing and endlessly regenerating ground cover, and...they make strawberries!

Albion - Everbearing/all season, large fruit

Honeoye - Heavy cropping mid-season variety with excellent disease resistance. Ready to pick from June to early July

Symphony - Late season variety resistant to red core and mildew, it also appears to be resistant to vine weevil.  Excels in damp conditions, does well in the north and west.

Elsanta - The most delicious, though slighty vulnerable to powdery mildew and frost, they're worth it.

Jostaberry

available 2025

The jostaberry is a thornless hybrid of blackcurrant and gooseberry, producing sweet-tart, deep purple berries rich in vitamin C

more info

A blackcurrant and goosberry hybrid, combining the best flavours of both.

A vigorous, thornless shrub that produces an abundance of dark purple-black berries the size of the largest blackcurants.

Growing 3-6 feet tall, it is highly resilient and like the blackcurrant and gooseberry it thrives in this temperate climate.

Jostaberry is highly disease-resistant and low-maintenance.

Herbaceous/Ground Layer

This layer includes perennial and annual herbs, vegetables, and flowers which provide food, medicinal benefits, and attract pollinators. These plants help suppress weeds, add fertility to the soil, and support biodiversity.

Edible Herbaceous Perennials

Climbing Spinach

available 2025

A shade-loving long-lived hardy climber, with similar leaves to spinach both in taste and texture

more info

Also known as caucasian spinach – a long-lived, hardy herbaceous perennial climber that produces an early harvest of edible shoots, followed by delicious heart shaped spinach like leaves on vines.

Grows well, actually better, in a semi shady spot and needs climbing support.

In my opinion the best leafy green 'hungry gap' crop, it provides the first spring greens together with various Alliums.

Probably grows best in cold climates, as the plants mature, the crown of shoots gets bigger each year and vines become more numerous and vigorous. 

Turkish Rocket

available 2025

An essential perennial green producing tender, mustard-like shoots in spring and yellow flowers, ideal for stir-fries

more info

Turkish rocket has edible leaves and flower buds, which offer a mildly peppery flavor, similar to mustard greens or broccoli. The young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like kale, then fried up when the greens are mature, while the flower buds are often steamed or sautéed just like sprouting broccoli.

It thrives in poor soils, prefers it moist but is drought-tolerant. Its deep roots help improve soil structure, and once established, it requires minimal maintenance, providing a reliable source of leafy greens throughout the growing season.

Good King Henry

available 2025

The king of perennial greens, spinach-like leaves, used cooked it is delicious and extraordinarily nutritious

more info

One of the best, but lesser known (though once widely cultuvated) traditional "wild" vegetables that has sustained rural populations for generations in the UK, and my favourite perennial green.

The flavour of the young leaves resembles spinach and becomes increasingly bitter as the season progresses, though when sauteed this disappears and the deep delicious flavour of GKH comes out.

The leaves, stalks and flower buds are edible, the ripe seeds can also be picked and cooked exactly like quinoa.

As with almost all perennial greens Good King Henry has extraordinary nutrient and mineral density, particularly iron and calcium.

Tree Kale

available 2025

Also known as perpetual kale, will produce young leaves nearly year round, expect at least 5 years of harvesting

more info

Unlike most annual kales, tree kale is perennial, meaning it continues to produce nutritious leaves year after year without needing to be replanted. It can grow over 6 feet!

Its leaves are similar in taste and due to their more extensive root system often exceed in nutritional value compared to regular kales, rich in vitamins A, C, and K, along with calcium, fiber, and antioxidants.

Tree kale thrives in temperate climates, is tolerant of cold weather, and can provide fresh greens throughout much of the year, even in winter in some regions or more sheltered spots.

Rhubarb

available 2025

A long-lived perennial with large, tart stalks used in pies, sauces, and preserves, edible and ornamental

 

more info

Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is a perennial vegetable known for its large, vibrant green leaves and thick, tart stalks, which are typically red or pink. Although often treated as a fruit in culinary contexts, rhubarb is botanically a vegetable.

The stalks are prized for their tart flavor, however, the leaves contain oxalic acid, which is toxic when consumed in large quantities, so they should not be eaten.

Buckshorn Plantain

available 2025

A resilient, low-growing perennial with narrow, crunchy leaves with a mild nutty flavour. An  ideal edible ground cover

more info

Buckshorn Plantain is a high-yielding, salad plant that forms large rosettes of long leaves which can be repeatedly cropped. Frost hardy, for autumn and winter use.

It has a sweetish, nutty flavour and is a good source of milder greens for the salad bowl in winter.

Sorrel

available 2025

We offer several varieties all with tangy, lemon-flavored leaves, great for salads, and thrives in the UK climate

more info

Known for its tangy, lemony-flavored leaves, which are used in salads, soups, and sauces.

Scots Lovage

available 2025

 A coastal perennial with aromatic, celery-like leaves and stems, which add a lot of flavour to soups and stews

more info

Traditionally, Scots lovage has been used in both culinary and medicinal uses in Scotland.

The leaves and stems can be used fresh in soups, salads, and stews, or dried as a spice, the flavour impact of doing this can't be underestimated.

Its high vitamin C content made it a valuable herb in the past for preventing scurvy. In herbal medicine, it has been used to aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and treat colds.

Scots lovage is resilient to harsh conditions and can tolerate salty and windy situations, making it an excellent plant for coastal gardens or food forests looking to incorporate native, wild, and edible plants into their ecosystems.

Other Perennial/Annual Beneficials

Comfrey

coming soon

A deep-rooted perennial known for its rapid growth and nutrient-rich leaves, ideal for mulching adding to compost.

We sell 'Bocking 14', root cuttings, a seedless strain

more info

Comfrey is a vigorous, deep-rooted perennial herb highly valued in permaculture and regenerative gardening for its many beneficial uses. 

Growing up to 4 feet tall, comfrey produces large, hairy leaves and clusters of bell-shaped flowers that attract pollinators.

It thrives in a variety of soils, especially rich, moist conditions, and is often planted as a companion plant in food forests.

Comfrey is particularly known for its role in soil health. Its deep taproots mine nutrients from deep in the soil, bringing them to the surface where they can enrich the topsoil. Its leaves are rich in nitrogen, potassium, and calcium, making them excellent for use as mulch or compost activators. A popular technique is to use comfrey as a "chop and drop" mulch, cutting the leaves several times a season to enrich the soil.

In herbal medicine, comfrey has traditionally been used to heal wounds, reduce inflammation, and promote bone and tissue repair due to its high content of allantoin. However, it should be used with caution for internal use because of the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can be toxic to the liver in large amounts.

Yarrow

available 2025

A tough, drought-resistant perennial with feathery leaves and clusters of white flowers, useful for pollinators throughout the summer.

Could be used as a border/rhizome barrier

more info

Borage

available 2025

Though not a perennial, an essential bee-friendly annual with blue, star-shaped flowers and cucumber-flavored leaves, excellent for pollinator support and edible garnishes

more info

Borage (Borago officinalis) is a hardy, annual herb known for its striking blue star-shaped flowers that flower throughout the spring and summer, attracting many bees and other pollinators.

Borage is often celebrated for its culinary and medicinal uses; the leaves have a refreshing cucumber-like flavor and can be used fresh in salads, drinks, or as a garnish, while the flowers are edible and can add a beautiful touch to dishes.

Nutritionally, borage is rich in vitamins A and C, and it contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid known for its anti-inflammatory properties. In herbal medicine, borage has been used to soothe respiratory issues, reduce stress, and promote skin health.

Root Layer

The rhizosphere consists of root crops such as carrots, potatoes, and garlic that grow below ground. This layer enhances the food forest’s productivity by utilizing underground space for edible and medicinal plants.

Black Salsify

available 2025

Long, black-skinned roots and a mild, oyster-like flavor, excellent for roasting or soups, or when you want some crunch in winter: thinly sliced in a salad

more info

Black salsify (Scorzonera hispanica), also known as "black oyster plant," is a hardy, biennial vegetable valued for its edible roots and tender greens. The plant features long, narrow leaves and produces yellow flowers in its second year, which attract pollinators.

The root, which has a dark, rough skin and creamy white flesh, is known for its unique, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor, often compared to that of artichokes or oysters.

It is rich in nutrients, including dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamins B and C. The roots can be harvested in late autumn or winter after a frost, as this improves their flavor.

Black salsify is versatile in the kitchen; it can be boiled, sautéed, mashed, or added to soups and stews. Additionally, the young leaves can be harvested and used in salads or cooked like other leafy greens. 

Jerusalem Artichoke

available 2025

A perennial sunflower with tasty edible tubers, as low maintenance as it gets

 

more info

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also known as sunchoke, is a perennial sunflower native to North America, valued for its edible tubers. The plant grows tall, reaching heights of over 2 meters, with bright yellow flowers that resemble those of sunflowers, blooming in late summer to early autumn.

Jerusalem artichokes thrive in various soil types, preferring well-drained, loamy conditions, and they can tolerate poor soils.

The tubers have a crunchy texture and a mildly sweet, nutty flavor, often described as a cross between artichokes and potatoes. Rich in inulin, a type of prebiotic fiber, they are beneficial for digestive health and can help regulate blood sugar levels. Jerusalem artichokes can be enjoyed raw in salads, roasted, sautéed, or puréed into soups.

They can be used as a natural windbreak, we use them for this in our nursery in the growing season.

Egyptian Walking Onion

available 2025

A perennial onion that "walks": spreading via bulb clusters at the top of its stems, can be used as a green onion or for bulbs

more info

Egyptian walking onion (Allium × proliferum), also known as top-setting onion or tree onion, is a perennial onion variety known for its unique growth habit. Instead of forming a bulb at the base, it produces clusters of smaller bulbs or "bulbils" at the top of its tall, hollow stems. As the stems become heavy, they tend to bend over, allowing the bulbils to root in the soil, giving the plant its characteristic "walking" behavior.

Egyptian walking onions thrive in a variety of soil types and conditions, preferring full sun. They are hardy and can tolerate cold temperatures. The flavor of the bulbs is similar to that of standard onions, and both the bulbils and green tops are edible and can be used fresh in salads, cooked in dishes, or pickled.

These onions are low-maintenance, and once established, they can produce year after year with minimal care, offering fresh greens and onions throughout the growing season.

Chinese Artichoke

available 2025

An ideal ground cover plant, with crunchy, spiral-shaped tubers with a mild, nutty flavor

 

more info

Chinese artichoke (Stachys affinis), also known as crosne or Japanese artichoke, is a perennial herbaceous plant prized for its edible tubers. Originating from East Asia, it grows about 1-2 feet tall and features heart-shaped leaves and delicate pink or white flowers that bloom in late summer. Chinese artichoke thrives in well-drained, loamy soils and prefers full sun to partial shade.

The tubers are small, knobbly, and have a unique, slightly sweet, and nutty flavor, often compared to that of water chestnuts. They are crunchy and can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, or roasted, adding a delightful texture to various dishes. Chinese artichokes are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making them a nutritious addition to the diet.

These plants are relatively low-maintenance and can spread, creating a robust ground cover.