There are more than 140 artichoke varieties. Artichokes come in three sizes: Baby, Medium and Jumbo. Baby artichokes weigh 2 or 3 ounces, while jumbo artichokes can weigh as much as 20 ounces. Below is a list of some of the most popular varieties of artichoke.
Green Globe and Green Globe Improved are standard commercial varieties grown in milder climates
Shorter season varieties include:
Imperial Star – grows just 3 feet tall
Violetto – purplish buds
Grande Buerre – spineless heads, grows up to 9 feet tall
Stampede: Artichoke - Jerusalem
- Large, white tuber often weighing more than 1/2 pound. Winter-hardy in severe cold. Days to Maturity 90
Violetto: Artichoke - Globe
- Purple Italian artichoke. Hardier than 'Green Globe'. Plants produce deep purple sepals and smallish, oval, slightly elongated chokes. Also known as 'Violetta'. Days to Maturity: 85
Green Globe: Artichoke - Globe
- Standard variety with sharp spines gently reduced and larger, heavier, consistent-quality, globe shaped heads. Also known as Vert Globe. Days to Maturity: N/A
Emerald: Artichoke - Globe
- Hybrid. Plants up to 5 feet tall bear large, globe-shaped, thornless, glossy heads over long harvest period. Tolerates both hot and cold conditions better than most artichoke varieties. Days to Maturity: 180 - 360
Imperial Star: Artichoke - Globe
- Grows 3- to 4-feet tall and bears 3 to 8, 4-inch-diameter buds. Can tolerate light but not hard frost. Days to Maturity: 80 - 120
Peto: Artichoke - Globe
- Dark green. Use for main crop. Yellows tolerant. Maturity 98 days from transplant.
Purple Romagna: Artichoke - Globe
- Italian heirloom. Plants produce large, round, purple flowerheads. Also known as 'Purple of Romagna'. Days to Maturity: N/A
Green Globe Improved: Artichoke - Globe
- Similar to 'Green Globe' but plants are shorter, more productive and bear higher percentage marketable chokes. Days to Maturity: N/A
Grosso Romanesco: Artichoke - Globe
- Plants with rich purple color produce large, round chokes. Also known as 'Big Romanesco'. Days to Maturity: 100
Northern Star: Artichoke - Globe
- Hardy 'Green Globe' type artichoke bred to overwinter for spring harvest northern locations. Planted in May or June, it is said to withstand subzero temperatures for harvest the following April through June, but your mileage may vary. Days to Maturity: 300
Purple Italian Globe: Artichoke - Globe
- Open pollinated variety from Italy. Plants produce large, tender heads and are more tolerant to both heat and cold than standard green globe. Days to Maturity: 120
Gros Vert de Laon: Artichoke - Globe
- Mid- to late-season French variety. Silvery-leaved, 3-foot-tall plants produce large-hearted chokes. Days to Maturity: NA
Tavor Imperial Star: Artichoke - Globe
- Hybrid. A sturdy bush that produces 8-10 chokes per plant. Large, blue flowers will develop after globes mature. Days to Maturity: NA
Colorado Star: Artichoke - Globe
- Cynara scolymus. Open pollinated. Early maturing purple annual. The 1-3' tall plants vary from upright to prostrate, but all produce high yields of purple to green-purple buds. Typically, 1-3 primary buds are produced that are 2 1/2-3 1/2" in diameter followed by 5-7 secondary buds ranging from 1 1/2-2 1/2" diameter. Developed by Keith Mayberry - the same breeder of Imperial Star. Perennial in Zone 7 and warmer, otherwise treat as an annual. Note: Amount of purpling may vary from plant to plant - some buds will be all purple, while others only show purple-tinged bracts. Days to Maturity: 75