Artichoke production in Italy artichoke to Florence. By 1473, it had arrived in Venice. In 1915, 64,000 tons were produced. Italy produces dozens of varieties. Artichoke production in Italy Artichoke production in Italy has a long history. Italy is the world's largest producer of artichokes. With Spain and France, the three countries produce more than 80% of the world's artichokes. There are two theories as to its origin: artichokes may have come from the Levant, derived from the cardoon or thistle through a cross-fertilization process, while others attribute it to the work of Italian horticulturists. The first record of artichoke cultivation in Italy was
Jerusalem artichoke money. Jerusalem artichoke The Sunchoke ("Helianthus tuberosus"), also called sunroot, sunflower potato, earth apple is a species of sunflower native to eastern North America, and found from eastern Canada and Maine west to North Dakota, and south to northern Florida and Texas. The sunchoke has no relationship to Jerusalem, and it is not a type of artichoke. It is cultivated widely across the temperate zone for its tuber, which is used as a root vegetable. "Helianthus tuberosus" is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to tall with opposite leaves on the upper part of the stem but alternate below. The leaves