Cardoon artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus)
Kingdom: Plantae
(Unranked): Angiosperms
(Unranked): Eudicots
(Unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Cynara
Species: C. cardunculus
Binomial name: Cynara cardunculus
Synonyms: Cynara scolymus
Common name: Artichoke thistle, Cardoon artichoke thistle, Cardoon, Wild artichoke.
Cynara cardunculus is a deciduous herbaceous soft-wooded perennial in the thistle tribe (Cynareae) and of the sunflower family (Asteraceae). It shares a recent common ancestor with the modem cultivated "globe" artichoke Cynara skolymus . Both plants have their origin in edible Cynara cultivars used by early farmers in the Mediterranean region and North Africa. C.cardunculus is a traditional vegetable in its homeland areas where stems and young buds are cooked.
C. cardunculus has large silvery deeply lobed leaves and can be 2 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter. In summer the solitary composite flowering heads have spiny phyllaries and showy purple disk flowers. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies.
In certain areas of the world C. cardunculus has long been recognized as an invasive pest plant on poorly managed and overgrazed lands.
The thistle like leaves
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