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The Chinese artichoke (Stachys sieboldii) belongs to Lamiaceae (the Mint family). It is a perennial herb that is native to central-northern China. This herb was introduced into Japan in Edo Era (1603-1867). It is cultivated for edible whelked tubers. The tubers are used as traditional New Year dishes, pickled vegetables, marinated foods or Japanese soups in Japan. They are also used as cream stewings or salads in Europe. The long spikes are borne and bloom magenta flowers from summer to fall. In Chinese, it is called "甘露子" (gan lu zi).
There are several theories regarding the origin of its Japanese name. One theory suggests it derives from "chorogi", which evolved from terms like "長老木" (meaning long twisted tree) due to its long, spiraling shape. Another theory proposes it comes from the Korean word "chinroni" (meaning earthworm). Additionally, the name "kusa-isago" is used because the shape of its rhizome resembles the abdomen of a caddisfly larva.
In Korean, it's called "cho-seok-cham" (초석잠). This is a compound word consisting of "grass" (cho: 초) + "stone" (seok: 석) + "silkworm" (cham: 잠). It was named for the tubers found beneath the grass, which are as hard as stones and resemble silkworms or cocoons.
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