Green Globe Artichoke Seedling (Cynaria scolymus)

This Mediterranean native makes a beautiful landscape plant as well as provides abundant crops of delicious artichokes. A long lived perrennial vegetable in zones 8-9, it can also be grown as an annual in climates too cold for it to overwinter. Also can be grown in a container and brought into a greenhouse to overwinter. Deep cut silvery foliage and striking upright and arching leaves can grow up to 6 feet tall and spread 4 feet or more. A large well established plant can produce up to 2 dozen artichokes per year over a long season that can extend from spring through fall. If the artichokes aren't harvested they open to large deep purple thistle like flowers that are very attractive to butterflies, and that later ripen to fluffy seed-heads that are loved by many seed eating song birds.