Cardoons Yes/No

[Jeanied]

I accidently got them when I bought a pack of "Globe Artichokes" from Wilkinsons!

They are huge and look great....absolutely adored by Bees....so they're worth having in my book for that reason alone.

To be honest, I don't know how you would tell the difference - until it comes to the flower head stage. Once the flower opens they look so similar, as well as the appearance of the whole plant.

[Glutton4...]

I thought GAs and cardoons were the same thing! But I could be wrong.

I have some Cardoon seeds, and I'm planning growing some along the sunny side of the Chook run to hide the (Heras type) fencing, and to give them some shade. I shall also be growing Sunflowers there too.

[Two_Sheds]

I thought GAs and cardoons were the same thing!

Yes, they are? the latin for both is cynara cardunculus

[Jeanied]

Well I had a bit of a google and turned this up, written by Jamie Oliver's gardener
Jamie Oliver - News - globe artichokes and cardoons
basically he says the two are related but not identical.

[Glutton4...]

Yes, they are? the latin for both is cynara cardunculus

Yay! Thanks TS, thought I was right. I've always wanted to grow them since I first saw them in a garden I used to drive past. I was so impressed when I found out they were edible.

[ginger ninger]

Why have I never heard of them, they look so lovely in Snadgers photo, can you grow them in big pot's???

[Jeanied]

More like big barrels, Ginger!

[gilwrig]

I grew some from seed last year and they ended up 5ft high and they've survived the winter too dispite the fact that I just let them.

Really easy to grow and looked great but I didn't eat them.

[Nicos]

Mine are still in their tiny pots - I'm waiting for signs that they survived the winter and then i'll plant out.
There are loads on the market here later on in the year.
Cardoons are grown for eating the stem flesh which needs blanching before digging up the plant - I understand that you have then destroyed the plant and need to grow replacements for the following year.
Globe artichokes have more fleshy flowers and less fleshy stems- so you eat the GA flower before it opens up. The plant then regrows the following year producing more flower heads.
As yet I've not eaten any- but am crossing my fingers that they'll grow again to be transplanted