Cynara scolymus.
Family Asteraceae. Vegetable flower.
Perennial plant, which can be considered as biennial and triennial preserved as perennial crops abandoned and very noticeable decrease in production. Stems erect, thick, longitudinally grooved and branched, with more than a meter high.
In Spain the most cultivated variety, almost the only for domestic market, the Blanca de Tudela, chapter oval, rather small, compact and green, which is also very young, is able to be produced throughout the fall and winter, when the artichoke is marketed fresh market or for export, even in spring when given the highest harvest (the only in cold areas), which is intended mainly for industry.
To export grown in Murcia and Alicante other varieties: Violeta de Provence,also oval and early chapter; Macau (Camus de Bretagne or Hyèrois Blanc) chapter ball very late and some other.