Is artichoke thistle an edible artichoke?

The name confuses me but I'm guessing its edible, only difference is this plant has thorns cultivated artichoke plant is thornless?

I am confused, too.
Artichoke is a thistle relative, and some thistles have edible buds. So I guess it could be either.

Wait, artichokes are thornless? Are you sure?

I first remember reading WAY back in the 60's (I believe it was in Euell Gibbons' book "Stalking the Wild Asparagus") that artichokes are technically thistles, and that wild thistles can be prepared like artichokes - the hearts and the inner part of the flower stalks anyway.

Aha! I had always heard Cynara cardunculus called Cardoon. I have Italian American neighbors that tell me "carduni" in Italian refers to anything where you eat the stems, especially if you peel and eat them - asparagus, broccoli, or cardoon.

Cardoon and artichokes are related but they aren't the same thing. Cardoon are grown for the leaves. I have seen Artichokes plants that I wouldn't call thornless. Artichoke thistle sounds redundant but it might just be a name.