Topinambur
Definition
Topinambur (scientific name: Helianthus tuberosus, dialect name: tupinabò or ciapinabò, French name: topinambour, English name: Jerusalem artichoke) is a plant belonging to the Compositae family. In Italy there are only two species belonging to the genus Helianthus: the sunflower (Helianthus anuus), cultivated all over the world, and Heliantus tuberosus, coming from North America and blooming late in the summer. The Italian, French, and Piedmontese names derive from the Portuguese topinambor, which is the name of a Brazilian native tribe, while the English name (Jerusalem artichoke) is a funny mangling of the Italian word "girasole" (sunflower), a very similar plant to which the word artichoke has been associated for the slight artichoke taste characterizing topinambur.
- Production Area: Topinambur is cultivated in the private gardens of the whole Piedmont; however, in the area of Carignano it is also produced for sale. In Carignano, every year in October the traditional and very busy Ciapinabò Festival is held.
- Legislative Protection: At the moment, topinambur has no legislative protection.
