Cynara cardunculus Quart

Cardoons may look like the edible globe artichoke plants and the stalks are technically edible, but the main reason for growing cardoons is for their amazing looks. The large jagged, silvery-gray leaves can grow up to three feet long and are quite quite stunning in the summer garden. When the thistle-like flowers bloom in late summer, the whole effect is amazing, with plants growing up to six feet tall and two to three feet wide. Pollinators love the purple flowers that can be harvested and dried for flower arrangements. For the record, it's primarily the stalks of the cardoon that are considered edible, as the globe-shaped flowers are inferior in taste and size to the green globe artichoke. Cardoons are considered invasive in California, and overgrowths have been reported in Marion County, OR, and Clark County, WA.    

Common Name: Cardoon

Plant Type:

Mature Size: 3 - 6 feet tall, 2 - 3 feet wide

Growth Rate: Fast

Cold Hardiness: 0 ° F°

Light: Sun to partial sun

Foliage Color:

Bloom Color: Purple

Bloom Time: Late summer to fall

Structure: Upright

Characteristics:

Photos:

Please Note: When Ground Shipping is selected, plants will be shipped on the following Monday to help maintain the plant quality.