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Order: Asterales;
Family: Asteraceae;
Genus: Cynara;
Species and synonyms: Spanish artichoke, Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus).

GBIF: Cynara cardunculus L.

Spanish artichoke (lat. Cynara cardunculus) is a species of perennial plants from the family Asteraceae, order Asterales. The artichoke is adapted to dry climates and grows in the Mediterranean zone from Morocco and Portugal in the east to Libya and Greece, and north to Croatia and southern France, as well as in Cyprus, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. In France, it is found wild only in the south of the Mediterranean (Gard, Hérault, Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales, Corsica). It has become an invasive weed in the pampas of Argentina and is also considered a weed in Australia and California.

The artichoke began to be cultivated over 5,000 years ago as a food and medicinal plant. Among the ancient Greeks and Romans, it was valued above all other vegetables. It was believed that eating artichoke softened body odor, promoted pleasant breath, and that juice squeezed from the plant before flowering strengthened thinning hair. In Spain and Portugal, an infusion of the flowers of the Spanish artichoke and the dwarf artichoke has long been used as a rennet substitute in the production of sheep and goat cheeses. The artichoke is a popular spice-flavored vegetable plant in many Western European countries, especially France, Italy, and Greece. The fleshy receptacle of unopened inflorescences (heads) and the thickened bases of the scales of the lower rows of the involucre are eaten. Raw and canned artichokes are used to make salads; boiled, they are eaten with sauces. The lower part of the artichoke flesh is a valuable dietary product. Due to the presence of cynarin, the plant is beneficial for the elderly and those with atherosclerosis (consumption has been shown to improve well-being and lower cholesterol).

The true artichoke, cultivated, spiny (lat. Cynara cardunculus var. Scolymus), also known as the French artichoke, globe artichoke, or green artichoke, differs from its close relative, the Spanish artichoke. In the true artichoke, only the large buds (up to 20 cm) are edible, whereas in the Spanish artichoke, in addition to the buds, the petioles of young shoots and part of the root are also eaten. The true artichoke does not occur in the wild — it is exclusively a cultivated plant, more demanding of heat, light, and soil moisture. Its stems are shorter, leaves thinner, rosette diameter smaller, and buds larger.

In Mediterranean cuisine, artichokes are a true delicacy. In Italy, they are pickled in oil with garlic and parsley, added to risotto and pizza, and the classic Roman dish Carciofi alla Romana is prepared — artichokes stuffed with mint and garlic and braised in olive oil. In France, artichokes are most often served boiled with vinaigrette or hollandaise sauce. In Greece, artichokes à la polita (Greek: αγκινάρες αλά πολίτα) are popular — braised with potatoes, carrots, dill, and lemon.