Biggest Cardoon / Cynara Variety?

I grew Cynara cardunculus "Porto Spineless" (from Chiltern Seeds) this year - as an ornamental for the Exotic border, for its dramatic leaves.

"Porto Spineless" is a variety used by florists, and I wondered if there was a more dramatic / bigger / whatever! variety that anyone knows of?

I came across some seed called "Gigante" - a name with promise?!
http://b-and-t-world-seeds.com/carth.as ... ref=551464
and I found one grown by a user of MyFolia - their picture makes it look big and the leaves are somewhat finely cut, so might look more dramatic than the bog standard ones?

 

I grew one of those too kristen, and, iirc, the thistle like flowers are edible. Mine grew to around 7ft.

 

Yes, flowers (before they open) edible as Globe Artichokes, and you can blanch the stems too and eat those ... in fact we have quite a few plants in the veg patch ... but for the Exotic border I just want BIG !!

 

I love artichokes , not for everyone taste but they are delicious , you can make a digestive liqueur out of it .



the plants it`s impressive as well ; )

 

OK,sounds like I'll have to stick with the ones I've got. In fairness they have grown impressively for only a single season (from seed)

 

I've had cardoons grow to 7ft here too.
Have you thought about onopordum arabicum?, not good if you want spineless though, I've done myself a mischief wrestling with a 8ft one in my garden when it got flattened by the wind, lovely grey foliage but it is biennial,dead easy from seed, if you want to give them a try I'll have seed very soon

 

Never really warmed to them - but having said that I haven't grown them, maybe I should give them a try?

 

I'll let you know when I collect the seed Kristen, its nearly ready