Artichokes, Known as a Healthy Food Crop, Also Make for Pretty Plants

Artichokes are more than just a tasty dish. Their flowers bloom bright and colorful, as artichokes are immature flower buds.

Shinsuke Agehara, an associate professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences began growing and harvesting Florida’s first artichokes in 2017 at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) as well as the UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center.

“Many home gardeners love artichokes, mostly as edibles,” said Agehara. “But because their flowers are so pretty, I think many will try to keep some late buds to let them bloom in the field.”

99% of the nation’s artichokes come from California, as they require a cooler environment to thrive. When Agehara presented his initial findings, they discovered that two types showed the most promise. Those were ‘Imperial Queen’ and ‘Green Queen’ – both adaptable to the warm, humid climate of Florida.

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