Growing Cardoon

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04 Sep 25 Julie Espinoza (USA - Zone 5a climate)
Can Cardoon be grown in USA zone 5. Will it put out much foliage in one summer season? How would I obtain seeds or small plants?
Reply
10 Sep 25 Celeste (Faith) Archer (Canada - Zone 8a Mild Temperate climate)
I never really thought about it until now...but you could probably grow it as an annual. I don't think you'll have much of a chance overwintering it. Cardoons are native to the Mediterranean, with an average hardiness around -7°C ....in 5b, maybe, if you planted really really close to the house (so it gets warmth from the house) and it got sunshine in addition to mulching....then you might have a chance at overwintering.....5a, tends to have min winter temps around -20 .....(where 5b is -15)....I can't imagine a spot where you might have soil 15 degrees warmer than the ambient temps. However your summer temps and sunshine seem to indicate, that a cardoon would do fine as an annual.....many perennial plants are grown as annuals. Cardoons do grow quickly.

I never really thought about it until now...but you could probably grow it as an annual. I don't think you'll have much of a chance overwintering it. Cardoons are native to the Mediterranean, with an average hardiness around -7°C ....in 5b, maybe, if you planted really really close to the house (so it gets warmth from the house) and it got sunshine in addition to mulching....then you might have a chance at overwintering.....5a, tends to have min winter temps around -20 .....(where 5b is -15)....I can't imagine a spot where you might have soil 15 degrees warmer than the ambient temps. However your summer temps and sunshine seem to indicate, that a cardoon would do fine as an annual.....many perennial plants are grown as annuals. Cardoons do grow quickly.

- Celeste (Faith) Archer

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