Artichokes are really cool plants. Most people know the fruit, which is actually a large flower bud. The artichoke is a variety of a species of thistle cultivated as a food. The edible portion of the plant consists of the flower buds before the flowers come into bloom. Not only is the flower bud edible, but the plant is beautiful in the landscape as well.
When to Plant
Late fall is the time to plant these in North Texas. The artichoke (Cynara scolymus) makes a large, vase-shaped plant, with very large silver leaves. The artichoke can handle temperatures into the mid-twenties. If it gets colder though, the plant will need some protection.
For extreme cold, you can cover the plants with sheets or blankets or pile mulch around the plant for protection. In early spring it will begin to grow very rapidly and by mid-spring will be ready to form its first bloom. You can harvest this bloom or allow it to continue to develop, and when open, will have a lovely purple flower head.
The Cardoon
A close cousin of the artichoke is a plant called a cardoon (Cynara cardunculus). The cardoon is actually the wild form of the cultivated artichoke. It is grown not for its edible flower but for its edible stalk. The cardoon is much more cold tolerant as well.
We grow them each year at the Dallas Arboretum. They are beautiful silver plants that add to the winter displays. They look great grown in large containers or planted in beds with pansies and kales. If you want to try a new plant this winter, plant some artichokes or its tough cousin, the cardoon.
If you want to get a look at the cardoon, come by the Arboretum and see them used in beds and containers.
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