Globe Artichoke plants bear much similarity to thistle, the leaves resembling a giant silver-green fern with flower stalks up to 5 ft tall. While the unopened flower heads are traditionally harvested as a vegetable for the edible hearts within, these plants can be left to bloom revealing large, stunning, electric lavender flowers. Artichokes do best in moist, rich, well-drained soil and full sun. Space plants roughly 5 ft apart. They may go dormant in hot summers and will die back in winter. While they can live for many years and bloom year-round in frost-free climates, they can be grown as an annual for harvest in fall. Mulch heavily to aid in winter survivability. Descended from the Cardoon, grown for its edible leaf stalks, artichokes bear much similarity. Artichokes have been bred for for taller growth, less spines, and larger, edible flowers. Click here to see a calendar of planting schedules, time-to-harvest, and recommended spacing for your edible garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: May cause contact dermatitis. More information on Cynara cardunculus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Columnar; Erect
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Rosulate
Leaf shape
Pinnatifid
Leaf margin
Lobed; Serrate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, > 6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Deeply lobed, jagged leaves that grow in 3' clumps.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Edible; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Dome
Flower size
> 6 inches
Flower detail
Large, scaly flowers up to 7" grow on tall stalks, many smaller buds below a large terminal one. Buds can be harvested and eaten or allowed to bloom into bright purple, thistle-like flowers.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Stem color
Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
North Africa and Western Europe
Distribution
Widely cultivated in Mediterranean regions and other temperate areas
Wildlife value
Flowers are attractive to pollinators.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Flowers
Fruit type
Achene
Edibility
The unopened buds can be eaten– once cooked, the base of the fleshy phyllaries (bracts) and the center heart are edible. The flowers can be made into tea.