Commercial possibilities for artichokes in central Europe

摘要

Artichokes are a high value crop and are normally grown in sunny climates. However, by using a mulch they can also be grown successfully in wetter, cooler regions. In Germany, and perhaps some other central European countries, there is an increasingdemand for artichokes. For producers it is an interesting perspective for diversification because the combination of it being a delicacy and having high pharmaceutical impact makes it economically interesting. Though mostly leaf extracts are used for pharmaceutical products, the heads also contain a number of valuable substances.