I've grown 'Green Globe' and 'Imperial Star' varieties I believe. I don't have any this year, last summer's heat did in the last of my plants.

I have never been able to get it to flower the first year like the packets and magazine articles claim it will. I've done every trick in the book and still I had to wait for the second or third spring to get buds.

I also have never gotten large grocery-store sized 'chokes, they were only about the size of a lemon. I believe they taste the same but are more tender when you pick them and cook them right away, they seem to have less fiber to them and more of them is eatable.

and they are huge, gorgeous plants!

Thanks trianglejohn and tamelask! I have done some companion planting research and am thinking of planting them in front of my mammoth sunflowers. Will post pics later this summer (if they can take the heat!)

They'll look their best in May/June and go downhill from there in my experience. They don't like the heat. That would be a stunning combo if you can keep the artichokes going long enough.

Can you post about your sunflower artichoke experience?