Crosne - Chinese Artichoke (12 roots)

New for 2025 - Stachys affinis - Perennial member of the mint family, closely related to betony. Grown for their crispy, crunchy rhizomes. They can be eaten raw, or sliced up and lightly sautéed. Mildly sweet nutty flavour, comparable to water chestnut. Hardy and easy to grow. The plants have lush green foliage topped with small pink flowers. 3' tall.

Although it's tempting to leave them in the ground to form a perennial patch, Steph suggests it's best to dig them each fall and replant in the spring. They produce bigger roots that way, much more worthwhile to harvest. When left untended they can take over like mint. 

This plant has been cultivated in northern China for almost a millennia. Their other name comes from the town of Crosne, France, which was one of the first places they were cultivated in Europe in the 1800s.  

Package of 12 roots

Grown by Twisted Brook

Shipping details: Because of their bulky nature, postage for live roots is $20 (in a box with tracking). If you order both seeds and live roots together, we'll send them separately; seeds first and roots in early spring when they're ready to dig.