Botanical name: Cynara scolymus
Cynara scolymus
Healing power:
- to strengthen the liver and the gall bladder.
- Artichoke promotes the digestion of fat.
- to lower cholesterol
How to use:
The harvest time of the leaves is when the artichoke is blooming.The harvest time of the roots is in autumn.
The solid hearts are cooked and served with sauce.
Out of the leaves, the flowerleaves and the flowerbottom you make tea.
Even the roots are used.
Description of the plant:
Artichoke cannot withstand frost, only a few degrees. The thistlelike plant grows up to 1,50 m and needs a humous soil. The location should be sunny. The natural habit of artichoke is the Mediterranean area. The plant gets big violet flowers.
Propagation:
Start seeds in early spring from February to April in pots or flats indoors.
When the plants are large enough to handle, transplant them to bigger pots. Harden them by gradual exposure to outdoor conditions. When the danger of frost is over, transplant them to the garden.
Depth of the seeds: 0,5 cm
Germination after 15 - 20 days at temperatures about 18 - 20°C.
Plant them in a distance of 100 x 100 cm.
The location should be sunny and should have a protection from wind, the soil should be well-dunged.
Harvest time is September.
Ingredients:
tanning agents, flavonoide, cynarin, cynaropikrin
Recipe:
Artichoke with vinaigrette as starter:
Ingredients:
4 Artichokes
Vinaigrette
Clean the artichokes and cook them in salty water. Let the water dripp from the artichokes.
Artichokes you eat with your fingers.
