Cynara cardunculus or Globe Artichoke is a treat to eat. Artichokes are one of those vegetables that most people, including me while growing up, could not imagine eating. Fortunately, I married into a food family and learned to love eating them. Just in case you don't know, the scales (it is a bud) have a very tasty portion at the bottom where they attach. You boil the artichoke and then peal off the scales and scrape off the edible part with your lower front teeth. It also tastes good to dip them in mayonnaise or Miracle Whip. The inner portion of the bud is called the "artichoke heart." The heart is the best part. Sometimes artichoke heart is pickled. I like them better fresh however.
We also grow them in our home garden occasionally. However, they are one of those plants that take a lot of room and only produce a few edible bulbs. They are usually grown commercially as a field crop. They grow really well in the lower Arizona desert areas, but require quite a bit of water. A winter frost will kill the plants.
The picture above is an artichoke growing in the Herb Garden of the Desert Botanical Gardens, in Phoenix, Arizona.
We also grow them in our home garden occasionally. However, they are one of those plants that take a lot of room and only produce a few edible bulbs. They are usually grown commercially as a field crop. They grow really well in the lower Arizona desert areas, but require quite a bit of water. A winter frost will kill the plants.
The picture above is an artichoke growing in the Herb Garden of the Desert Botanical Gardens, in Phoenix, Arizona.
No idea we could grow artichokes here. I just planted my first crop of Chiricahua pine, inspired by your blog. Walking arizona has become a favorite web site to visit. See you sometime down the road...
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