Chinese artichoke and oca? The same

[MissGreen]

To me they kind of look the same, but are they the same plant or even plant family? If not, which one is the hardiest?

[MissGreen]

Nobody has answered so I'll post a link to the vegetables to get clues chinese artichoke from T&M http://potatoes.thompson-morgan.com/product/aww3113/1 and oca http://www.realseeds.co.uk/unusualtubers.html

[Shortie]

I've no idea, sorry MissGreen, but I'm sure a more knowledgable grape will be over soon

[Flummery]

They are botanically different - that is, unrelated. They do look similar though. Chinese artichichoke is a stachys and oca an oxalis. I've not eaten either so I don't know if they taste at all similar. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess about hardiness.

[Snadger]

They are botanically different - that is, unrelated. They do look similar though. Chinese artichichoke is a stachys and oca an oxalis. I've not eaten either so I don't know if they taste at all similar. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess about hardiness.

Well there you go.....I thought they were the same! You live and learn!

[MissGreen]

Thank you Flummery
I guess I will just have to try both to find out which plant is the hardiest
D*** this windy Danish weather

[mat]

Chinese artichokes are entirely hardy (here in Britain, anyway): leave them in the ground until you want them.

It’s well over a decade since I last grew oca - must try them again, soon; is any company selling the tubers this year? - but from what I remember, neither oca nor mashua are hardy. They do need a long, long growing season, though, so wait until the foliage is completely destroyed by frost, and then dig them all up.

Chinese artichokes don’t store at all - oca store pretty well.

As far as eating is concerned - they are both very crunchy, but the chokes have a mild nutty flavour whereas the oca is sort of sharp, acidic, and juicy. Both good stir-fried.

[Nicos]

I grew chinese artichokes a couple of years back and they are really easy to grow.
I pulled them when needed and they stored well in the ground for me.
They look creamy , more knobbly and thinner than the oca which I googled to check out.
Fiddly to scrub the soil off as they are small and got lots of little creases betwwen th bumps.
Lovely gentle nutty flavour, and crunchy too!
Might just grow them again this year ( I do like to have a 'guest' veg each year to try out!!!)