Artichoke Artichoke The globe artichoke ("Cynara cardunculus" var. "scolymus") is a variety of a species of thistle cultivated as a food. The edible portion of the plant consists of the flower buds before the flowers come into bloom. The budding artichoke flower-head is a cluster of many budding small flowers (an inflorescence), together with many bracts, on an edible base. Once the buds bloom, the structure changes to a coarse, barely edible form. Another variety of the same species is the cardoon, a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region. Both wild forms and cultivated varieties (cultivars) exist. This vegetable grows
Artichoke River (Massachusetts) Artichoke River (Massachusetts) The Artichoke River (long), is a tributary of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts in the United States. It is in Essex County, Massachusetts, and flows generally north, marking the boundary between West Newbury and Newburyport. The Upper and Lower Artichoke reservoirs are impoundments of the river that acts as a water source for nearby towns. Despite the short length of the river, there are three dams along its course, the Emory Lane Dam, the Lower Artichoke Dam and the Upper Artichoke Dam. The river is named for the Jerusalem Artichoke, which had been harvested nearby by Native