Artichokes have been cultivated for centuries. We will inform you about the origin, provenance and history of the he althy vegetable.
The artichoke with its radiant flowers and delicious buds has its origins in the Middle East. Archaeological excavations have even proven that the ancient Egyptians cultivated this he althy vegetable plant and probably enjoyed the magnificent inflorescences. To date, numerous wall paintings of this thistle-like daisy family (=plant family) have been discovered in the region.
Artichoke: Popular with florists and home gardeners
The high decorative value makes many florists fall back on these beautiful and slotted leaves with their magnificent flowers. Many hobby gardeners also enjoy the stylish color of the artichoke in their home garden. It has also been worshiped in the Mediterranean region for many centuries and the positive effect on the human body was already known under the pharaohs. For example, the artichoke was already being used as a kind of slimming diet.
Origin" and current growing areas of the artichoke
It is actually at home in the entire Mediterranean area. There is evidence that the artichoke has been cultivated and used for nutritional purposes for many centuries in Persia (modern-day Iran), in North Africa to modern-day Ethiopia and even in the Canary Islands and in many regions of South America. Records also show that the artichoke was a highly valued crop even under the Romans. As early as the 2nd century, the artichoke was a popular crop in many Roman markets. The botanist Phillip Strozzi was the first European to start cultivating artichokes in the Naples area, paving the way for large-scale cultivation. For a long time, the French nobility in particular considered it a sign of prosperity to have bright artichoke blossoms in their own gardens. In the course of the 15th century, the fragrant vegetable with its he althy ingredients conquered Italy and France and from there the artichoke spreadquickly throughout Europe. Nowadays, the main growing regions are in Italy and France, but commercial cultivation is also practiced in Egypt, Spain and the USA. The artichoke is still considered a real delicacy today. In addition to fresh artichokes, there are also processed products such as elixirs, tea blends, capsules and many more to discover.
You can also plant artichokes in the garden in this country. You can find out how best to do this and valuable care tips in our special article.