Plant Details

Smallianthus sonchifolia syn. Polymnia edulis, Polymnia sonchifolia

Yacon

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Smallianthus sonchifolia syn. Polymnia edulis, Polymnia sonchifolia.

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Common names

3 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Yacon
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Yacon
French
  • Yacon
Sources & name notes

Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

General information

Scientific name: Smallianthus sonchifolia syn. Polymnia edulis, Polymnia sonchifolia
Reviewed spelling and synonyms (Kew): Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp.) H.Rob. View name reference ↗

The Yacon common name and Polymnia edulis synonym resolve the misspelled catalogue name to this species. The Polymnia sonchifolia Poepp. usage agrees; the different Grisebach usage is excluded.

Sources [2] [3]
Botanical family: Asteraceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Smallanthus (WCVP v16). This genus reference retains the original catalogue name above.

Sources [1]
Also known as: Yacon
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Ground cover
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.00 m
Spread: 0.60 m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 7-10
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Stem, Root
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
None

Description

Carrots can be eaten both raw and cooked. When freshly harvested, they have a mildly starchy flavor, but this quickly changes to a sweet, fresh, and juicy taste that is delightful to eat raw. The flavor improves even more if they are left in the sun, although this can result in some loss of their sharpness. Carrots can be eaten as a fruit or diced and added to salads. The skin has a slightly resinous taste and is usually removed. When cooked, carrots retain their sweetness and crunchiness. They can weigh up to 500 grams each. Carrots have limited nutritional value because they contain a large amount of inulin, a carbohydrate that our bodies cannot digest well. The juice of grated carrots can be pressed to make a sweet drink. This juice can be reduced to dark brown sugar blocks, known as 'brown sugar' in South America. The leaves and stems of the carrots can be cooked and eaten as vegetables.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/10
Harvest ends: 15/11

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 556007; name ID 3133710; Smallanthus Mack.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp.) H.Rob.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Name heading and taxonomic status; The Yacon common name and Polymnia edulis synonym resolve the misspelled catalogue name to this species. The Polymnia sonchifolia Poepp. usage agrees; the different Grisebach usage is excluded.

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Polymnia sonchifolia Poepp.
    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Taxonomic synonyms or horticultural name section. The Yacon common name and Polymnia edulis synonym resolve the misspelled catalogue name to this species. The Polymnia sonchifolia Poepp. usage agrees; the different Grisebach usage is excluded.

    Source checked on .