Green Globe Artichoke

Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus 'Green Globe'

vegetable

The Green Globe artichoke is grown for its large, rounded, immature flower buds, eaten for their tender leaf bases and meaty heart before the bud opens into a purple thistle flower. A tender perennial that lives for years in mild-winter regions on five-foot, silvery plants, it is grown as an annual in cold climates by tricking young plants into budding their first year.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Sunflowers — Share tall, sunny bed space and draw pollinators
• Peas — Fix nitrogen for this heavy feeder
• Cabbage family — Uses the cool-season window alongside it
• Sweet Alyssum — Attracts aphid-eating hoverflies

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Aphids →

  Hose off colonies and encourage ladybugs and lacewings with flowers

• Artichoke plume moth →

  Remove and destroy old stalks and infested buds; keep the planting clean

• Slugs →

  Trap and hand-pick after dark; keep mulch from staying soggy

🌾 Harvest & storage

Cut the buds while they are still tight, firm, and plump, with an inch or two of stem, starting with the large terminal bud and then the smaller side buds that follow. Harvest before the bracts begin to loosen or open, since once the bud starts to flower it turns tough and inedible.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Artichokes are high in fiber and a good source of folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, and magnesium, and they are especially rich in antioxidants and in inulin, a prebiotic fiber that supports gut health.