Cynara scolymus

Asteraceae

Globe Artichoke

Herbaceous perennial, to 1.8m (6 feet) tall, Looks like a thistle but leaves spineless, Purple to blueish flowers, edible heads (immature flower buds) are made up of large bracts.

Uses

Harvest the swollen buds late autumn to late spring -continuously on strong plants. Harvest before flowers open when buds are 5-10cm in diameter. All above ground parts can be boiled and eaten, though the base of the scales (which can also be eaten raw) are the tender part which are normally eaten. Vegetable. Can also be pickled. http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/ProduceFacts/Veg/artichoke.html

Culture

Temperate climate: prefers cool moist conditions in a frost free environment. Hot dry weather deters strong shoots and flower buds Adaptable but prefers fertile & well drained soil Responds to feeding, particularly nitrogen fertilisers. Water stress causes loose flower buds Pests include rodents, snails, slugs, nematodes, aphis, caterpillars and leaf miners. Diseases include fusarium, botrytis and virus. http://osu.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/artichgl.html

Propagation

No information available at this time...

Cultivars

No information available at this time...

Plant Health

No information available at this time...

More info

Commercial Vegetable Growing Correspondence Course through Australian Correspondence Schools see www.acs.edu.au/hort

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