Artichokes are a unique and popular edible thistle, with the part commonly eaten being an immature flower bud. If these buds are not harvested, they will eventually transform into a full bloom. This natural process often prompts gardeners to wonder about the implications for the plant and its future yield.
What Happens When Artichokes Bloom
When an artichoke bud opens into a flower, it signals the plant’s natural reproductive stage. The once tightly closed bud unfurls to reveal a large, striking purple, thistle-like flower, often with lavender-blue centers. This transformation is driven by factors such as plant maturity, warmer temperatures, or being left on the stalk past the optimal harvest window. These vibrant blooms can grow quite large, sometimes reaching 6 inches in diameter, and appear on tall stalks that can extend up to 6 feet in height.
Eating After Blooming
Once an artichoke bud opens into a flower, it is no longer suitable for culinary use. The bracts, the edible “leaves,” become tough and fibrous. The fuzzy center, known as the choke, expands significantly and becomes spiky and inedible. While not toxic, its texture and flavor degrade, often turning bitter.
What to Do With Bloomed Artichokes
For artichokes that have already bloomed, there are several practical options. The vibrant purple thistle flowers are visually appealing and enhance garden aesthetics. They also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, contributing to garden biodiversity.
Another option is to harvest the flowers for seeds. If the plant is a non-hybrid variety, seeds can be collected from the dried flowers for future planting, though germination can be inconsistent. To collect seeds, allow the flower to fully dry and turn brown, then carefully remove them from the dried flower head. Alternatively, cut back the spent flower stalk. This may encourage the plant to produce new growth from the base, sometimes leading to a second flush of smaller buds, especially in cooler climates or during a prolonged growing season.
Harvesting to Prevent Blooming
To ensure a good edible harvest, harvest artichoke buds before they begin to open and bloom. The optimal time is when buds are fully formed, firm to the touch, and bracts are tightly closed. Bud size varies by variety and position, with main buds often reaching baseball size and side shoots being golf ball to tennis ball size.
Regularly inspect your plants as buds mature to harvest them before they open. When harvesting, use sharp pruning shears to cut the bud with a few inches of stem, ideally just above a leaf to encourage new growth. Adequate water and proper spacing also help reduce heat stress, which can cause premature bolting and flowering, thus extending the harvest window.