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Common Name: Globe Artichoke

General Information

Cynara scolymus is a perennial plant that can grow up to 1.50 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Not known in the wild, it probably arose from a form of C. cardunculus.

Habitat

Not known in the wild.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.50 m
Pollinators	Bees, Lepidoptera
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a light warm soil and an open position in full sun[, , , ]. Requires plenty of moisture in the growing season and a good rich soil[]. Prefers a sheltered position[] but plants are reasonably wind resistant[]. Plants are tolerant of saline conditions[].
Plants succeed in cool climates though they may need protection in cold winters[], they are unlikely to thrive in the north of Britain. Wet winters are far more likely to cause problems than cold ones[, ].
The globe artichoke is often cultivated in the garden and sometimes commercially for its edible flower buds, there are some named varieties[, ]. It is best to renew the plants by division of the suckers every 3 years but they do live for a number of years[].
The plant has recently been reclassified (1999) as not having specific status but being part of C. cardunculus. However, since it is distinct enough from the gardener's viewpoint (having a much larger seedhead) we have decided to leave it with its own entry for the time being[].
Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[].
The flowering plant is a magnet for bees[].

Edible Uses

Flower buds - raw or cooked[, , , , , , ]. Used before the flowers open[]. The flavour is mild and pleasant[]. Gobe 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[].
Flowering stems - peeled and eaten raw or cooked. A sweet nutty flavour[].
Young leaf stems - a celery substitute[]. They are normally blanched to remove the bitterness and then boiled or eaten raw[]. We find them too bitter to be enjoyable[].
Leaves - cooked. A bitter flavour[, ].
The dried flowers are a rennet substitute, used for curdling plant milks[, ].

Medicinal

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 are anticholesterolemic, antirheumatic, cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, hypoglycaemic and lithontripic[, , ]. They are used internally in the treatment of chronic liver and gall bladder diseases, jaundice, hepatitis, arteriosclerosis and the early stages of late-onset diabetes[, ]. The leaves are best harvested just before the plant flowers, and can be used fresh or dried[].

Other Uses

A dark grey dye is obtained from the leaves[].

Propagation

Seed - sow 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 prudent to give the plants some winter protection in their first year.
The seed can also be sown in situ in mid spring. Sow the seed 2cm deep, putting 2 or 3 seeds at each point that you want a plant[]. Protect the seed from mice[].
Division of suckers. This is best done in late autumn and the suckers overwintered in a cold frame then planted out in mid spring. Division can also be carried out in early to mid spring with the divisions being planted out straight into their permanent positions, though the plants will be smaller in their first year.