Honey bees
Nectar value
Low
Pollen value
Low
Pollinator plant
Elecampane
Inula helenium
Linked agroforestry plant data
Pollinator recipe
Bee value
Who this plant supports
Agroforestry database
Complete plant information
Structure
- Vegetation layer
- Herbaceous
- Size
- Small
- Dimensions
- 1.50 m high × 1.00 m wide
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
Site conditions
- USDA hardiness
- 4-8
- Moisture
- Moist
- Soil
- Sandy, Loamy, Clay
- pH
- Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
- Light
- Partial shade, Sun
Uses
- Edible parts
- Leaves, Root
- Functions
- Dye, Essential oil, Fragrant
- Edibility
- 3 out of 5
- Medicinal value
- 3 out of 5
Leaves - cooked. Originally bitter and aromatic, they were used as a vegetable by the ancient Romans but are now rarely eaten. Root - candied and eaten as a sweet. It contains up to 44% inulin, a starch that cannot be digested by humans. Inulin usually passes through the digestive system without being broken down. However, it can ferment and cause gas in some people. Inulin can be converted into a sugar that is suitable for diabetics. The Council of Europe classifies Inula helenium as a natural food flavoring.