The small white tubers have boiled about the consistency of marzipan and a pleasant nutty flavour. They can also be eaten raw, roasted or pickled.

This species comes from China and has been cultivated in Europe since 1882. After the interest in this tuber vegetables had subsided, it has been cultivated more and more again since 1990. The tubers are (hitherto) very expensive, which is maybe not only caused by the low yield, but also by the short shelf life due to the non-corking skin: they will go limp and brown in air.

Stachys affinis is an invasive neophyte in Europe. Related species that are native in Europe are for example S. palustris (marsh hedge-nettle) and S. recta (yellow woundwort), but they do not form edible tubers.

• Edible Tubers
• Culinary Group Tuber vegetables
• Taste neutral
• Trivial names Knollen-Ziest, Chinesische Artischocke, Japanknolle, Japanische Kartoffel, Knollenkartoffel, Stachy, Crosne, Chinese artichoke, Japanese artichoke, Knotroot, Artichoke betony, Crosne du Japon
• Size 6 cm
• Taxonomy Lamiaceae (Deadnattle family) Stachys affinis
• Origin East Asia (Map)
• Fundort Kleinmarkthalle Frankfurt 2013