What is Yacón?

A Sweet Andean Root Crop

Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius), also called the Peruvian ground apple, is a perennial in the sunflower/daisy family (Asteraceae) cultivated for its crisp, sweet tuberous roots.

Unlike many Andean root crops that accumulate starch, yacón stores much of its carbohydrates as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin-type fructans, which are slowly metabolized and act as prebiotics. Studies have found that yacón root consumption may support gut health, reduce post-meal blood glucose and insulin levels, and modulate lipid metabolism.

Yacón’s Native Range

It is native to the Andean highlands of South America (from Colombia through Peru and Bolivia, extending into Argentina).

The yellow area represents the land between the Andes mountains and the Amazon basin, where yacón grows best.

When grown outside its native range, it is typically planted after the last spring frost and harvested after the foliage is killed by the first significant fall frost. 

Yacon grows with multi-stalked green foliage and tiny sunflower-like flowers late in the season. The storage roots form based on day length, so early frosts can affect yield. William Whitson (Cultivariable) has done extensive breeding work on yacon, making many of his varieties suitable for growing at our latitude and frost date!