artichokes

I'm in the Houston area and was wondering if anyone ever tried growing artichokes? I'm thinking it is too hot to grow them here but I was reading an article that said for this area you could plant seeds now for early summer crop.

Mine do beautifully and I have about 8. They are gorgeous plants, even "front garden" worthy. After they produce, the die back and re-sprout from the root.

Thanks sweetmommy, good to hear that. I think I will give they a try.

I'm a little farther north...zone 8 and I have 4 of them...even if we did not love the vegetable -- and we do! -- we would grow them for their beauty. It is a stunning perennial for the bees and butterflies...All are evergreen and perform as Sweetmommy says...but I often get a re-blooming stalk on the 2 in the shadier area....I have also come to believe that letting the central stalk wither and die on it's own maintains the vigor of the plant...I usually do not trim it out until early spring...

Txaggiegal- I do the same with the central stalk. It's a little unsightly for a bit but the plant stays very healthy. Each Spring, I have to choose whether I want to eat them or wait for the gorgeous bloom. I usually settle for a few of each.
Here is what you get when you don't eat them.... :)

Beautiful!

What kind do you both grow?

Mine is Globe 'Romanesco'...I have tried others, but have to treat them as biennials instead of the perennials...love the soft gray leaf...

sweetmommy---I am in love with the artichoke blooms you posted. We are in the north edge of Austin. I happened to talk to a man this morning who planted some last year. He said he planted them in November and he had more than he could eat or give away, so he let them develop blooms Even the seed heads are beautiful.. My question is about when to plant. I realize you are near Houston and it would be different, but November doesn't sound right to me. Any ideas for zone 8b?

Hi, Bezz...we are neighbors! You can plant artichoke plants anytime now...or as soon as our heat goes below 85 or so!...LOL

txaggiegal is right. Mine died back in late June and are coming back now, from the roots. They don't mind the cold here so I would think that Fall would be an ideal time there. They'll have time to get their roots established for Spring production.

Thanks for the information txaggiegal and sweetmommy. I will keep an eye out at my nursery for plants. Just have to have the blooms and probably the food too. It's a bonus that they are perennial.

Thanks you all.