Best time to plant artichoke in Australia
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus
Grown for its immature flower heads, the artichoke is a food variety of thistle. The parts eaten are the fleshy bases of the bracts and the heart beneath them, taken before the buds open. Left to bloom, the heads turn coarse, and the plant stands up to 2 m tall with silvery, deeply cut leaves.
On a shared plot: needs a lot of room
A large plant that holds its spot for years. Ask your coordinator first.
When to sow
| Zone | Months | How well checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cool | Sep to Nov | Matches local guides |
| Temperate | Aug to Mar | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Subtropical | Aug to Apr | Broadly matches local guides, with some differences |
| Tropical | Mar to Aug | Not yet checked against a local guide |
| Arid | Aug to Apr | Not yet checked against a local guide |
Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.
Growing details
- How to start
- Raise seedlings, then transplant
- Sowing depth
- 10mm
- Plant spacing
- 120cm
- Row spacing
- 90cm
- Height
- 90cm
- Germination
- 14-21 days at 21-26°C
- Time to harvest
- 300-400 days
- Frost
- Hardy, takes a light frost
- Sun
- Full sun
- Life cycle
- perennial
These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.