Seed and Bulb Ideas

Seed Ideas for Cardoon

Cardoon Plant Picture from Territorial Seed Company
Cardoon Plant Picture from Territorial Seed Company

While we are on the topic of artichoke seeds, I thought we would chat about cardoon seeds.  They are kissing cousins!  While you eat the bud of an artichoke, you eat the stems of cardoon. The stems have a mild artichoke flavor.  If you live in an area where this plant can become a perennial, then you will need to know that it can become invasive.  Based on this picture from Territorial Seed Company, the cardoon plant is a good candidate for edible landscaping.  I think this plant would look great along side artichoke plants.  Now this is a good idea as long as you are not saving seeds because these plants can cross.

Not many seed companies sell cardoon seeds.   Here is what I found:

1)   The cardoon seeds sold by Territorial Seed Company take 60 days to mature and can be a perennial in zones 7 and warmer.   If grown as an annual this plant will fall short of 4 feet tall.  If it is a perennial it can get up to 8 feet tall.

2) Porto Spineless from Johnny’s Selected Seeds takes 100 days to mature and can be a perennial in Zones 6-10.  This plant can get to 4 feet tall.  The stems need to be blanched.

To be honest, I am not sure that I have room for cardoons in my garden, but I am thinking about it.

 

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