Globe artichokes are a perennial, though frost sensitive, relative to the thistles.
Harvested artichokes are actually flower buds which resemble unopened green pine cones.
Choose a well-drained soil, loose and rich in organic matter. Locate purchased transplants in early May in a bright sunny location. Individual plants make an interesting addition to flower gardens. The gray-green spiny foliage is prone to leaf spot and bacterial blights. However, plants usually freeze out in Illinois.