Bulbs, rhizomes and tubers: Crosne

Native to East Asia, the Japanese artichoke ( Stachys affinis ) has long been a refined vegetable in cottage gardens and gourmet vegetable patches. Its small, pearly tubers, arranged in a string, are hidden beneath tender green foliage reminiscent of other members of the mint family.

In a thriving garden, the crosne settles in like a quiet companion: it grows unobtrusively, forming low clumps that gently occupy a sunny corner of the vegetable patch. As the seasons change, its foliage blossoms, then dries out in autumn to make way for harvesting, an almost ancestral gesture that connects the gardener to the life of the soil.

Its benevolent presence contributes to a diverse nourishing space: it is a plant of trust, which returns year after year when a few tubers are left in place and its development is supported in a respectful cultivation approach.