Organically grown at KoruKai Herb Farm, New Zealand, without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or other agrochemicals.
Earth Chestnut is a unique perennial root vegetable from the carrot family, closely related to parsley, fennel, and carrot. Native to Europe and Western Asia, it naturally grows in meadows, grasslands, and open woodland, where it has been gathered as a wild food for centuries.
This attractive herb produces delicate, fern-like foliage that resembles fennel or wild carrot and makes an excellent edible groundcover when not in flower. During summer, elegant white umbels rise above the foliage, much like Queen Anne's Lace, attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Growing to around 60 cm tall, Earth Chestnut is equally at home in the edible garden or perennial border.
The plant is grown primarily for its small underground tubers, which have a delicious sweet, nutty flavour reminiscent of roasted chestnuts, hazelnuts, and sweet potato. Every part of the plant is edible—the leaves can be used like parsley, while the aromatic seeds have a warm, cumin-like flavour and can be used as a spice.
You will receive a healthy plant with roots and growing shoots similar to those shown in the images below. Most of the foliage has been trimmed before shipping to reduce transplant stress and encourage strong establishment.
Growing Instructions
Earth Chestnut is a hardy, long-lived perennial that is remarkably easy to grow. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers fertile, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. In hotter, drier parts of New Zealand, afternoon shade will help keep the soil cool and moist.
Before planting, incorporate compost into the soil and mulch well to retain moisture. Space plants approximately 30 cm apart to allow room for the developing tubers.
Keep the soil evenly moist during the establishment phase. Once established, Earth Chestnut is relatively drought tolerant, although prolonged dry periods will reduce tuber production. Avoid waterlogged soils, as excessive moisture can cause the tubers to rot.
Earth Chestnut is frost hardy and can be grown throughout New Zealand. In milder regions it often remains evergreen, while in colder areas it naturally dies back during winter before reshooting in spring.
Harvesting
Patience is rewarded with Earth Chestnut. The edible tubers take time to develop, and the first harvest is usually best delayed until the plants are two to three years old. Harvesting too early will result in small, underdeveloped tubers.
Lift the plants carefully during winter dormancy to collect the mature tubers. Each tuber is typically 1–2 cm in diameter, with a brown skin and crisp white flesh. Their distinctive sweet, nutty flavour makes them delicious eaten raw or roasted, boiled, steamed, or sautéed.
The finely divided leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season and used fresh as an excellent substitute for parsley.
At the end of summer, the plants produce aromatic brown seeds that have traditionally been used as a culinary spice. Their flavour is similar to cumin, making them a wonderful addition to breads, cheeses, roasted vegetables, and spice blends.
Kitchen Uses
Earth Chestnut is a wonderfully versatile perennial food crop.
- Tubers: Eat raw for a crisp, nutty snack or cook like baby potatoes. Roasting brings out their naturally sweet, chestnut-like flavour.
- Leaves: Use fresh in salads, soups, pestos, and herb sauces wherever parsley is called for.
- Seeds: Dry and use whole or ground as a warming spice with a flavour reminiscent of cumin.
A beautiful ornamental, valuable pollinator plant, and delicious perennial vegetable all in one, Earth Chestnut is a rewarding addition to any edible garden or food forest.
