A > >>also, what about sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)? > >I know nothing about these. What are they? > Jerusalem artichokes are not from Jerusalem and are not really in the artichoke family. They are the roots from a plant that is related to the sunflower, and are native to our midwest. They are similar in taste to potatoes but are not at all related. Relatives of the sunflower are native to all areas of the world, so similar plants would have been present in the paleoworld.