Globe Artichoke

I have been given some small seedlings which were called Globe Artichokes. I've just been reading up about them and discovered Cardoons - which I believe these to be) and Globe Artichokes which are edible. I will get back to our friend to discover exactly what they are but in the mean time - are all decorative or edible? Or are some decorative whilst others are decorative?

And they are one and they same thing? Ta.

No.  Globe artichokes produce flower buds an dthe bit you eat is the flower head plus some of teh stalk.  Fiddly but delicious as you have to remove the thictley "choke" to get at the heart.  They produce their best heads on 2 and 3 year old plants so you have to nurture them through their first winter.

Cardoons are taller and it's usually the stem that's eaten.

Check out recipes for both to see if you fancy them.  I can't get either through one of my winters.

Either way, yoou should be aware that they are huge - albeit beautiful.  I used to grow them on our allotment but now I am only gardening at home, I cannot find space for them.

Actually obelixx, you get rid of the leaves/ bracts and eat the chokes.

Not so but we can agree to differ.  The choke is the thing that becomes the thistly unpleasant part when the flower goes to seed.  The base of the flower and the base of the scales around the flower are the bits you eat and, if it's a small one, the top of the stem too before it gets tough.

Not so but we can agree to differ.  The choke is the thing that becomes the thistly unpleasant part when the flower goes to seed.  The base of the flower and the base of the scales around the flower are the bits you eat and, if it's a small one, the top of the stem too before it gets tough.    They're called artichoke hearts when tinned.