Hehhehe... I keep hearing that about sunchokes, I'll find a safe place for them. As for okra, I said oca. But I love okra too! And I'll be growing 4 kinds this season. Including one that purportedly grows 10 ft tall. I'm off to the international market in Cincy (called Jungle Jim's) to see what I can rustle up.... I'll be on the lookout for mashua, oca, olluco, yacon, and whatever other good noms I can find. Wish me luck! Dennis in Cincy (sooooo ready for spring) On Sat, Apr 2, 2011 at 1:35 AM, Stokman <vikingdoc@earthlink.net> wrote: > Sunchokes are a pass-along plant here in California. Found at most > farmer's markets, purchased tubers can be planted and will grow like the > weeds they are. Unfamiliar with this plant, I put them at the base of the > power pole in front of my house. Unfortunately, being a member of the > sunflower family, when the plants are mature they form thick stalks with > bristly, unpleasant spines, making it impossible for the workers to climb > the pole. I now tear them out every year when they are small, which keeps > the stalks small and much less painful. I didn't know they come in > different varieties. I like the flavor but my tubers are small and hard to > prepare since I won't replant them around the yard in fresh soil. I have > too many invasive plants as it is. > > Northern California, Sierra Nevada foothills, zone 8/9, Mediterranean > climate > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >