Origins of Jerusalem artichokes

Jerusalem artichoke is native to North America, more specifically the United States and Canada. It was cultivated by the First Nations long before the arrival of Europeans. Its name, however, is the result of confusion. It comes from the Topinamboux (Tupinambas) tribe of Brazil. Several members of this tribe were brought to Rouen in 1550, then to Paris in 1613. As for our tuber, it was Marc Lescarbot, a lawyer and traveller, who brought it back to France in 1607 after discovering it in the French colony of Port-Royal thanks to Champlain. This coincidence led Carl von Linné to believe that the plant originated in Brazil.

The Tupinambas in Hans Staden's 16th-century book.

In fact, French explorer Samuel de Champlain discovered the Jerusalem artichoke in 1603 during his expeditions to New France (now Canada). He observed that the native populations had long been cultivating it as a fodder and vegetable. So important was the Jerusalem artichoke to the survival of these populations that it was considered a symbol of peace and offered in sacred ceremonies.Although the Jerusalem artichoke spread rapidly in Europe thanks to its easy cultivation and hardiness, it fell into disuse in the 18th century when the higher-calorie potato became popular thanks to the promotion of French agronomist Antoine Parmentier.