Delicious raw or cooked, the tubers of this sunflower contain 10% protein, and inulin - a carbohydrate containing fructose. Prefers loose rich soil, which also makes digging the tubers easier. A 25 square foot plot of these can produce up to 100 pounds of tubers. Tubers should be dug in the fall after the first frost and stored in the fridge or root cellar or they can be left in the ground and dug as desired. Any not dug by spring will sprout new plants. They can also be dried and ground into flour. Showy, two-inch, yellow sunflower-like flowers in clusters attract numerous bees and butterflies including the Silvery and Gorgone Checkerspots. Great for naturalizing, but may become invasive.