Artichokes have been cultivated for centuries. We inform you about the origin, provenance and history of the healthy vegetables.
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 healthy vegetable plant and probably enjoyed the magnificent inflorescences. To this day, 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 slit 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 used back then as a kind of slimming diet.
Origin and current cultivation areas of the artichoke
It is actually native to the entire Mediterranean region. There is evidence that in Persia (modern-day Iran), in North Africa to modern-day Ethiopia and even on the In the Canary Islands and in many regions of South America, the artichoke has been cultivated and used for nutritional purposes for many centuries will. Records also show that the artichoke was a highly valued crop even under the Romans. Already in the 2. In the 19th century the artichoke was a popular cultivated plant 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. During the 15 At the end of the 19th century, the fragrant vegetable with its healthy ingredients conquered Italy and France, and from there the artichoke quickly spread 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.
In this country you can too Plant artichokes in the garden. You can find out how best to proceed and valuable care tips in our special article.
