Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), a medicinal salt-resistant plant has high adaptability and multiple-use values

Jerusalem aritichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is an Angiosperm plant species of the Compositae family, and a C-3 warm-season species of sunflower. This herbaceous plant shows significant ecological and commercial importance for its strong stress tolerance, very high yield potential and more application areas such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals and industrial applications. The morphologic, bio-ecological characteristics, the utilization and applied values of H. tuberosus are introduced in the present review and put forward the problems that need to be studied further in the future for its wider application. Many wild plants besides H. tuberosus can be planted as medicinal plants in saline-alkali soil for their remarkable saline-alkali tolerance as well as economic values.