Cynara scolymus 

'Italian Green Globe'

A traditional Heirloom Italian globe artichoke.

Asteraceae: Asteraceae: a robust herbaceous perennial to 2.5m. The flowers are large, thistle-like, and purple, blooming August-September. The budding artichoke flower-head is a cluster of many budding small flowers (an inflorescence) together with many bracts, on an edible base. The leaves are silvery-grey, pinnatifid, spiny leaves up to 1m in length. The plant is not known to grow in the wild, and probably arose from a form of C. cardunculus.

USES:

The flower buds can be eaten raw or cooked. Globe artichokes are considered to be a gourmet food but they are very fiddly to eat. The buds are harvested just before the flowers open, they are then usually boiled before being eaten. Only the base of each bract is eaten, plus the 'heart' or base that the petals grow from. Small, or baby artichokes that are produced on lateral stems can be pickled or used in soups and stews. Plants yield about 5 to 6 main heads per year from their second year onwards. The stems can be cooked and used as a celery substitute.

The globe artichoke has become important as a medicinal herb in recent years following the discovery of cynarin. This bitter-tasting compound, which is found in the leaves, improves liver and gall bladder function, stimulates the secretion of digestive juices, especially bile, and lowers blood cholesterol levels. The leaves have anticholesterolemic, antirheumatic, cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, hypoglycaemic and lithontripic properties.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Sow seeds 2cm deep in early spring in a greenhouse. Germination is usually quick and good, prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions during the summer. It would be on the save side, give the plants some winter protection in their first year.

Prefers a light warm soil and an open position in full sun. For best results, this plant requires plenty of moisture in the growing season and a good rich soil. Plants grow very well in hot, dry summers. Hardy to about -10°C, but wet winters can do more harm than cold ones.

HARVESTED: 2022

 
APPROX. 50 SEEDS