Photo of Cynara cardunculus (cardon Artichoke vegetable)

Cynara cardunculus – cardon Artichoke vegetable - Commonly called cardoon, is a vigorous, columnar, upright, tender perennial that features prickly, razor-sharp, jagged, deeply-lobed, silver-gray leaves (white tomentose beneath) and thistle-like flowers. Although it is an edible vegetable (celery-like stalks may be blanched, harvested, steamed or braised and eaten), it is typically not grown for consumption as a vegetable, but is more often grown ornamentally in gardens for its attractive foliage and flowers (flowers bloom August-September in cold winter climates). It typically grows in a clump to 3' tall from which rise flower stalks to 6' tall topped with thistle-like blue-violet flowers. Family: asteraceae  

Author : Marietta Paternoster Garr
Photo # : 43463
Online since: August 11th 2022