31/08/2024
Is it a giant thistle or a miniature artichoke? It's neither—it's a cardoon! Cardoon, Cynara cardunculus, is a vegetable from the past that is rarely eaten today. It is now used most often as an ornamental. We grew some this spring for the pots at the Botanic Gardens and The Depot Plaza. They are perennial, but generally don't bloom the first year as ours have. We had some cold weather when we were hardening them off, and that must have enough to fool them into blooming. The fragrant flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including butterflies and bees. The edible portion of the plant is the leaf stalk. Prior to harvest, mature plants are covered with a clay pot or bucket as they begin to grow in the spring to promote soft growth that is less fibrous and less bitter. The fuzzy outer portion of the leaf stalk is peeled off, and the stalks are then boiled, steamed, or braised. Cardoon is similar to artichoke in flavor, with a slight bitterness if the leaves are allowed to grow in the sunlight.
