Topic: what is it

[lezelle]

Hi All, I have just lifted all my squash plants to brown bin and under them was this plant. Does anyone know what it is? I wonder where it came from and what is it. Any help would be most appreciated. Thankyou

[ruud]

kardoen or artichoke

[JanG]

Yes, I agree. I'm not sure that I can tell cardoon some globe artichoke as they are similar. But it looks very like the globe artichoke I grow.

I imagine it must have come from seed. They have a large slightly thistle-like flower. Perhaps a bird dropped it on your veg bed

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, I see that it is what you say. I have never grown them so wondered what it was and where it came from. I didn't see it until I was clearing my sqush plants. I am also suprised at the amount of weeds under the squash as I thought it was dense under them but no, I'm learning all the time. Thanks for advice and solving my question

[Vinlander]

I've never had a volunteer globe artichoke, so Murphy's law says it will be a cardoon - the only recipe that interests me involves blanching the leaf stalks like celery before battering batons & cooking as pakora - but I've never found time for the first step.

The flower buds can be boiled as artichokes but they are half the diameter - it would be useful to cook them for small people with small nimble hands & fingers (& mouths) - they would be a worthwhile and delicious starter - but I don't have that Demographic nearby ie. kids - and they tend to prefer ultra-processed food anyway.

OTOH I've never had any trouble finding someone who wants them as an ornamental.

I used to think the flowers were vivid shades of blue or purple, but my current nuisance ones are the palest blue - almost white.

Cheers

[saddad]

I get volunteer globe artichokes all the time, it's my own fault. I grew some from seed and wasn't impressed but have left them in as an "architectural" border to my plot and leave the seed heads on for the birds...