The globe artichoke is a welcome addition in the garden for those gardeners who desire edible landscape plants.

Imperial Star Seeds purchased from Shepherd's Seeds produced a humble tiny seedling. The seed was planted in a well-prepared bed of native soil, sand, and horse manure. A very large plant grew (3 to 4 feet in diameter) which required a bit of room. Some may even grow larger.

Artichokes can be planted in the fall or early spring. The flowers will produce globes of tender buds which are picked from the plant just about now in our high desert area.

Artichokes are perennial and a single plant will produce three or four new plants which will appear the following year at the base of the original plant. Once the fruit has been harvested, the plant will begin to dry out and go dormant during the hot summer.

Each plant has a spray of spikey frond-type silvery serrated leaves. These striking leaves and large flowering stalks create a landscape plant of individual character. It is comfort able standing alone and with its noticeable foliage is a great ornamental plant in the landscape. Artichokes are a good choice for a specimen plant.

An added bonus is that desert fauna do not enjoy the flavor of artichoke so the plant will not need to be protected against the nibblers of the desert. If the gardener wishes to not eat the fruit, the flowering stalk can remain on the plant and allowed to dry. The fruit will form a thistle like single large flower on a sturdy stalk. After the flower dries it can be used as a decorative part of an arrangement, a single display, or in a wreath.

Artichokes are not difficult to grow in our area. The plant will begin to green again in the fall once the temperatures turn cooler. It is one of the first plants to vigorously announce spring.