Plant Details

Stachys affinis

Chinese Artichoke, Artichoke betony

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Common names

19 names · 12 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Artichoke betony[1]
  • Chinese Artichoke[1]
Other languages (11)
Dutch
  • Chinese artisjok
  • Crosne
  • Japanse aardappel
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Japanse andoorn
French
  • Crosne du Japon[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Czech
  • čistec hlíznatý[1]
Danish
Estonian
  • mugul-nõianõges[1]
  • nõiakartul[1]
Finnish
  • mukulapähkämö[1]
Japanese
  • チョロギ[1]
Slovak
  • čistec hľuznatý[1]
Spanish
  • alcachofa betónica[1]
  • alcachofa china[1]
Swedish
Sources & name notes (1)

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

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Stachys affinis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • artichoke betony — results[0].names[0]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • Chinese Artichoke — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • čistec hlíznatý — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • mugul-nõianõges — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • nõiakartul — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • alcachofa china — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • alcachofa betónica — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • チョロギ — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • 甘露子 — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • 草石蚕 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • kinaskok — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • mukulapähkämö — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • Crosne du Japon — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • čistec hľuznatý — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.
  • korogi — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 57574; Stachys affinis.

General information

Scientific name: Stachys affinis
Accepted name (Kew): Stachys affinis Bunge View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Lamiaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Stachys (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Chinese Artichoke, Artichoke betony
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.50 m
Spread: - m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Root
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
None

Description

Bulbs - raw or cooked. They have a pleasant mild flavor and are lightly digestible, but quite small and inconvenient in size, about 5-8 cm long and 2 cm wide. They have a nutty and artichoke-like taste and can be eaten raw, added to salads, or lightly cooked. The bulbs discolor quickly when exposed to air and it is said they lose their flavor when peeled. It is best to harvest them when needed. The yield is about 1 kg per square meter. Leaves - cooked. These are used as food during a famine, only when everything else fails.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/06
Harvest ends: 30/09

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 familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 171414; name ID 194714; Stachys L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1100528; name ID 194731; Stachys affinis Bunge.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.