Artichoke

An artichoke is a plant we eat.

It is a large flower bud. You eat it before the flowers bloom.

The plant has long, green leaves. The buds have many scales. The bottom of the bud is called the heart.

Inside the bud is a part called the choke. You do not eat the choke.

Some artichokes have purple flowers.

People grow them in many lands. They grow well in warm places. Many people love to eat them.

An artichoke is a plant we grow for food.

It is a type of thistle. We eat the flower buds before they bloom.

The plant has long, silvery-green leaves. The flower head is a large bud. It has many triangular scales. The bottom of the bud is fleshy. We call this part the heart. The center of the bud is the choke. The choke is made of many small florets. People do not eat the choke. Once the bud blooms, it becomes hard to eat. The flowers are often purple.

Artichokes grow well in warm places. They like good soil and plenty of water. Many countries grow them. Italy and Egypt are big producers. In the United States, most come from California. One town, Castroville, calls itself the center of the world for artichokes. In 2020, the world made about 1.5 million tonnes of them.

Some people grow them from seeds. Others use parts of the plant to make new ones.

The artichoke is a special kind of thistle grown for food.

It is a variety of a plant called the cardoon. This plant is native to the Mediterranean region. People eat the flower buds before the flowers actually bloom. The edible part is a cluster of many small budding flowers. This cluster sits on an edible base. Once the buds bloom, the plant changes. It becomes a coarse form that is barely edible.

To understand how it works, look at the structure of the bud. The bud has many triangular scales. The fleshy lower parts of these scales are edible. The very base of the bud is called the heart. In the center, there is a mass of immature florets. This center part is called the choke or the beard. In older or larger flowers, the choke is inedible.

The plant grows tall with long, silvery-green leaves. These leaves have deep lobes. The flowers eventually develop into large, purple heads.

Artichokes have a very long history. The wild cardoon was mentioned by Homer and Hesiod in the eighth century BCE. The Romans called the vegetable carduus. In the sixteenth century, the English word artichoke came from an Italian word. This word was borrowed from Spanish or Arabic. The Arabic word comes from a word meaning "scale."

In the 1500s, the Dutch brought artichokes to England. King Henry VIII grew them in his garden in 1530. By the mid-17th century, they were very popular in European courts.

Many places in the world grow artichokes today. In 2020, the world produced about 1.5 million tonnes.

Italy was the largest producer with 367,080 tonnes. Egypt followed with 308,844 tonnes. Spain produced 196,970 tonnes. In the United States, almost all artichokes come from California. Most of these are grown in Monterey County. The town of Castroville even calls itself "The Artichoke Center of the World." They even hold an annual festival there.

Growing artichokes is a lot like tending a garden. You can grow them from seeds or by using parts of the plant. Some new types, like 'Imperial Star,' can grow in just one year. Other types, like 'Northern Star,' can survive very cold temperatures.

When you cook them, you can simmer or steam them. They are mostly made of water. This makes them a healthy snack with vitamins like folate and vitamin K. They can even stay fresh for two weeks after they are picked.

The artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is a cultivated variety of a thistle species.

It is grown specifically for its edible flower buds. These buds are harvested before the flowers fully bloom. Once the flowers bloom, the structure becomes coarse and barely edible. This vegetable is a domesticated version of the wild cardoon, a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region. Artichokes are important both as a food source and as an ornamental plant due to their large, purple flower heads.

To understand the artichoke, one must look at the anatomy of the bud. The flower-head is actually an inflorescence, which is a cluster of many small budding flowers. This cluster is surrounded by many bracts, which are leaf-like structures. The edible portions consist of the fleshy lower parts of these involucral bracts. At the very bottom of the bud is the base, commonly called the heart.

In the center of the bud lies a mass of immature florets. This central part is known as the choke or the beard. In older or larger flowers, the choke becomes inedible. The plant itself grows tall with long, silvery, glaucous-green leaves that have deep lobes.

There are many different types of artichokes categorized by their appearance and how they are grown. Some varieties are classified by color, such as green or purple types. For example, 'Green Globe' is a large green variety grown in the USA and South Africa. 'Romanesco' is a large purple variety from Italy. Other types are distinguished by having spines, such as the 'Spinoso Sardo e Ingauno' from Sardinia.

Cultivators also group them by how they are propagated. Some are grown through vegetative means like root cuttings or division. Others are bred specifically for seed propagation, such as the 'Imperial Star' cultivar.

The history of the artichoke is deeply connected to Mediterranean civilizations. The wild cardoon was mentioned by Homer and Hesiod in the eighth century BCE. Ancient Greeks called them kaktos and ate the leaves and flower heads. The Romans referred to the vegetable as carduus, which is where the name cardoon comes from. Evidence of cultivated artichoke seeds was found during excavations of Roman-period Mons Claudianus in Egypt. In the sixteenth century, the English word 'artichoke' was borrowed from northern Italian. This Italian term likely came from Spanish or directly from medieval Andalusi Arabic. The Arabic root refers to "scale."

Artichoke cultivation has moved across the globe over many centuries. In 1530, the Dutch introduced the plant to England, where it grew in King Henry VIII's garden. By the mid-17th century, artichoke hearts were considered luxury ingredients in European courts. In the nineteenth century, they reached the United States via French and Spanish immigrants. Today, global production is massive. In 2020, the world produced approximately 1,516,955 tonnes of artichokes.

Italy was the top producer with 367,080 tonnes, followed by Egypt with 308,844 tonnes and Spain with 196,970 tonnes.

In the United States, the industry is highly concentrated. California provides nearly 100% of the American crop. About 80% of that production occurs in Monterey County. The town of Castroville is so famous for this that it calls itself "The Artichoke Center of the World." This area even hosts an annual Artichoke Festival. While most artichokes are perennials that produce edible flowers in their second year, some new cultivars change this cycle. The 'Imperial Star' is bred to produce a harvest in just the first year. The 'Northern Star' variety is even more hardy and can survive subzero temperatures.

Beyond their history, artichokes are nutritionally significant. A cooked, unsalted artichoke is composed of 82% water, 12% carbohydrates, 3% protein, and 3% fat. They are a rich source of folate, providing 20% or more of the Daily Value. They also provide moderate amounts of vitamin K, copper, and magnesium. When preparing them, chefs often simmer the buds for 15 to 30 minutes or steam them for up to 40 minutes. Because they contain enzymes, cut artichokes can turn brown through oxidation, so they are often placed in acidified water to stay fresh.