Permapotes

Artichoke

Artichoke: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar

The globe artichoke is a herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae family. It belongs to the cultivated Cynara cardunculus Scolymus Group, also named Cynara scolymus. This vegetable is valued for its large flower buds, eaten before the flowers open. The artichoke on a plate is therefore not a ripe fruit: it is a closed flower head containing many developing flowers and their surrounding structures.

The plant forms a substantial clump of large, deeply divided grey-green leaves. Their surface and colour give a silvery, thistle-like appearance. Sturdy stems carry flower heads above the foliage. Globe artichoke is related to cardoon, but their usual culinary roles differ. Cardoon is primarily valued for its fleshy leaf stalks, while globe artichoke is grown for its flower heads. The leaves themselves give the plant much of its ornamental presence.

The scales surrounding a head are bracts. Their fleshy bases and the receptacle, called the artichoke bottom, are the main parts eaten. Immature flowers occupy the centre and form the choke at a later stage. The amount of flesh, tenderness and size of the bottom depend on type and head development. “Heart” also describes the tender central portion prepared for cooking, rather than a separate organ.

If the head continues developing, it opens into a large purple display of tubular flowers. This has ornamental value and attracts pollinating insects. Flowering changes the head’s appearance considerably. The fully open flowering stage and the closed bud used as a vegetable serve different purposes, even though they are stages of the same structure.

Varieties differ in head size and shape, green or purple colouring, and the presence of spines on their bracts. ‘Vert Globe’, ‘Violet de Provence’ and ‘Vert de Laon’ illustrate this diversity. A seed-grown plant is not necessarily spiny: characteristics depend on the selection and its stability. Earliness and cold tolerance also vary, so production does not follow one fixed timescale for every plant.

In the kitchen, artichokes feature in steamed dishes, gratins, quiches, salads and risottos. Bottoms can be stuffed or included in creamy soups. Their vegetable flavour and fleshy texture give them a distinct culinary role. In a garden, broad foliage and a perennial life cycle create a lasting presence that combines edible and ornamental interest.

Artichoke
Artichoke
Characteristics
  • Lifecycle : Perennial
  • Exposure : Full Sun
  • Frost Hardiness : Slightly Frost Sensitive
  • Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
  • Mature height : 150 cm
Sowing & Planting
  • Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
  • Plant Spacing : 80 cm
  • Row Spacing : 100 cm
Maintenance
  • Maintenance : Moderate
  • Water Requirements : High
Other characteristics
  • Soil Type : Humus-rich
  • Soil pH Preference : Neutral
  • Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
  • Pollination : Insect-pollinated
  • Propagation : Division