Artichoke Violet de Provence plants - Cynara scolymus

The Violet de Provence Artichoke is an early and productive variety, perfectly suited to regions with mild winters. It produces violet heads with a tender and crunchy flavour, which can be consumed raw or cooked. Plant it in spring, or autumn if your winters are mild, and harvest from May to August, for about 4 years.

The artichoke, like the Cardoon, has large, finely cut, silver-grey leaves. At the end of the stems green or violet heads form, which can be consumed raw or cooked depending on the variety. If you let them bloom, you will get very decorative blue-violet flowers. Thus, the artichoke can be grown both in the vegetable garden and in the garden as an ornamental plant. Mature artichokes can reach a height of 1 to 1.50 metres (3 to 5 feet), with a width of about one metre. By protecting the base during winter, you can harvest artichokes for several years. In cooking, it is the base of the bracts that is consumed, as well as the receptacle often called the artichoke heart. Some varieties can be eaten raw when the heads are small, but most artichokes require cooking, usually by steaming.

Harvesting: From May to August. The heads are harvested before flowering when they are perfectly formed, with the lower bracts starting to open. Cut cleanly with a knife or secateurs about 10 cm (4in) from the stem.

Storage: Artichokes should be consumed quickly after harvesting. You can also preserve them.

Gardener's tip: Since artichokes are a nutrient-demanding vegetable, they are ideally planted after a crop of peas, beans, or broad beans. These plants belong to the Fabaceae family and enrich the soil with nitrogen. Furthermore, as the growth of artichokes is relatively slow, you can plant short-cycle plants like lettuces nearby.