Yacon
7
3
1Will it grow where I live?
Yacon is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 9): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. It also needs warm summers – in Central Europe that means wine-growing regions, cities or a sheltered south-facing wall.
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Profile
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Habit
- perennial
- Height
- 1.5 m
- Spread
- 3.5 m
- Growth
- medium
- Lifespan
- 5 years
- First yield
- after 1 year
- Hardiness
- zone 9–10
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay
- Soil moisture
- moist – very wet
- pH
- 5.5 – 7.5
Uses
Frequently asked questions
Yacon: how big does it get?
Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) grows as a perennial and reaches roughly 1.5 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 3.5 m. Growth is medium.
Yacon: what site does it need?
Yacon tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam, Clay. Soil moisture should be in the range moist – very wet. The pH may lie between 5.5 and 7.5.
Yacon: is it hardy?
Yacon is listed as hardy in zone 9–10 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Yacon: will it grow in Central Europe?
Yacon is not winter-hardy in Central Europe (zone 9): outdoors from spring to autumn only, otherwise a container plant overwintered frost-free. It also needs warm summers – in Central Europe that means wine-growing regions, cities or a sheltered south-facing wall.
Yacon: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for Yacon. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
Yacon: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 7/10, Medicinal 3/10, Other uses 1/10.
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Community experience
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