The Yukon Gold potato is a popular yellow-fleshed, mid-season variety known for its buttery flavor and creamy texture. Introduced in 1981 by Canadian producers, this potato cultivar is grown as an annual crop, though the plant is botanically a perennial species. Yukon Gold potato plants produce blooms as a natural part of their growth cycle, a trait common to many potato varieties. The development of these flowers provides a useful indicator of the physiological changes occurring underground.
The Flowering Cycle of Yukon Golds
The Yukon Gold potato plant typically initiates its flowering cycle about six to eight weeks after planting, often coinciding with the mid-summer period. This timing can vary based on local climate conditions and the physiological age of the seed potato used for planting. The appearance of the blooms signals the plant is reaching a significant stage of maturity in its vegetative development.
The flowers of the Yukon Gold cultivar are usually small, delicate, and light violet to violet in coloration. Each bloom is held aloft on an erect stem and features prominent yellow anthers, which contain the pollen necessary for reproduction. Potato plants are self-pollinating and do not require insects for this process.
Not all Yukon Gold plants will flower, or they may produce a bloom that is less intense than other cultivars. Environmental stressors, such as high heat or poor soil conditions, can sometimes suppress the flowering process entirely. Consequently, the absence of blooms does not automatically indicate a failure of the crop to produce tubers below the soil surface.
Connecting Flowers to Tuber Growth and Harvest
The emergence of flowers is a visual cue that the potato plant is shifting its energy focus from producing foliage to developing tubers. Tuber initiation, the process of forming the actual potato, typically begins around the same time the first flowers appear above ground. This physiological synchronization makes the flowering stage a highly useful marker for gardeners planning their harvest.
For those interested in “new potatoes,” the ideal harvest time is shortly after the plant begins to flower, usually around 70 days after planting. At this stage, the tubers are still actively growing but are small in size. Gardeners can gently “rob” a few small potatoes from the edges of the plant without fully disturbing the main root system.
Harvesting the main crop of full-sized, storage-ready Yukon Golds requires waiting until the plant has fully finished its growth cycle. This occurs when the foliage naturally begins to turn yellow and die back. Waiting for the vines to die off allows the tubers to reach their full size and the skin to “set,” or cure, which is necessary for long-term storage.
Toxicity Concerns: Potato Flowers and Fruit
Following successful pollination, the Yukon Gold flower may develop into a small, round fruit, often called a potato berry. These fruits are green and visually resemble miniature, unripe tomatoes. The fruit, along with the flowers, stems, and leaves of the potato plant, contains significant concentrations of natural toxins called glycoalkaloids.
The two main toxic compounds present are solanine and chaconine, which the plant produces as a defense mechanism against pests and diseases. These substances are highly concentrated in the potato berries and can cause severe gastrointestinal distress or poisoning if consumed by humans or pets.
If potato berries appear, remove and discard them safely to prevent accidental consumption. The edible part of the plant remains the underground tuber, which contains glycoalkaloids at safe, low levels when properly grown and stored. Any tuber that has turned green due to sun exposure should also be avoided, as the greening indicates a buildup of solanine just beneath the skin.