Expanding Landscape Possibilities

Cold sensitive artichoke and cardoon plants survive one New England winter in a tropical-looking landscape bed. Will they survive another?

I take advantage of a south-facing bed about 10 feet wide and 40 feet long in my front yard to experiment with different plant and color schemes. In 2005, I arranged cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) and artichoke (Cynara scolymus) plants as accents in a bed of ornamental grasses and hibiscus. Because both plants are regarded as being perennial only in plant hardiness zones 7 and above, I anticipated that they would behave as annuals.

Cardoon is a clump forming tender perennial with pinnatifid (cut almost to the leaf's midrib in broad divisions, but not separated into distinct leaflets) and spiny silver-gray-green leaves that develop up to twenty inches long.

Artichoke plants also form clumps and usually reach a height of 3- to 4-feet and a spread of up to 6 feet in diameter. Their leaves are not as deeply or finely cut as the cardoon's, and they appear less silver-gray in color.

Imagine my surprise when new shoots started emerging from the old roots this spring (2006). In addition, along about August flower buds started emerging on each plant. These opened in the large but typical thistle-type flower that Cynara plants produce. One large flower with two small side buds in a narrow tall vase made a very impressive show. I shared this arrangement and as a result my enchantment with these plants with regulars at our local post office.

Knock on wood! I might have cardoon and artichoke flowers next season (2007). Recently, I found new shoots of both plants arising from the roots from which I cleaned this year's growth.

I am optimistic that if I cover each plant with a half-bushel basket or peach basket and then mulch over that, flower heads will develop for yet another year.

For photos, please see: Cave Hill Gardens Blog.