The globe artichoke is a perennial thistle originating in Southern Europe around the Mediterranean. It grows to 1.5 m tall, with deeply lobed, silvery-green, large leaves.
The flowers develop from edible buds with a cm diameter of about 8–15 with numerous triangular scales. The edible portion of the buds consists primarily of the fleshy lower portions of the bracts and the base, known as the ‘heart’
My wife and I are fond of artichokes and, therefore, have grown them in our garden since many years. Often, we have too many. The ‘extras’ developed into large, beautiful and very photogenic purple flower heads – a section is shown here – which are deeply loved by bees and bumblebees.