Plant of the month 2012 December
From PlantUse English
The plant of the month: Helianthus
Chrysanthemum perunianum (Dodoens 1568)
Nowadays, sunflower is a commercial crop, whereas Jerusalem artichoke is viewed as a forgotten vegetable. It was the reverse in the XVI-XVIIIth centuries, when sunflower was considered as an occasional ornamental, and Jerusalem artichoke seen in Europe as competing with potato as a staple. Historical accounts show it clearly.
As an example, we offer the first known drawings of sunflower from Dodoens, and one of the first mentions of American plants by Champlain (1603)
It is now up to you to contribute!
Michel Chauvet
