Seed in November · Transplant January – March · Harvest in spring · Phoenix / East Valley, AZ
Artichokes look like they belong on the California coast, but they can grow in Phoenix too. The trick is to stop thinking of them as a long-lived perennial and treat them the way desert farmers do: as a cool-season crop you plant in winter and harvest in spring, before the heat toughens the buds.
It's also a showpiece: a big silver-leaved thistle whose uneaten buds open into purple flowers up to 7 inches across.
A quick note: I haven't grown artichokes in my own Gilbert garden yet, so I did some digging and built this guide from University of Arizona and University of California Extension research. If you've grown them in the Valley, I'd love to hear what worked for you.
The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) lists globe artichokes two ways:
The calendar gives 4 to 6 months to harvest. So if you want to start your own plants, sow seed this month. If you'd rather buy plants, set them out from mid-January on.
You'll also see an earlier date. University of California Master Gardeners recommend planting seed or transplants of Imperial Star or Emerald in September for low desert regions, with buds anytime from January to April. California desert growers direct-seed in August or September and harvest February through April.
Why winter? UA Extension explains that artichokes need cool temperatures to trigger the flower stalk, which is the part you eat.
Imperial Star is the one to look for. It was bred by the University of California, with trials at UC's Desert Research and Extension Center in El Centro, to grow as an annual from seed and produce in its first season. It's thornless and has done well in the California and Arizona deserts. UA Extension's Yavapai County agent recommends it, and notes that the common Green Globe may not be the best fit for Arizona's summer heat.
UC Master Gardeners also list Emerald for annual cropping.
Nurseries don't always carry Imperial Star transplants, but seed is easy to find. Start it in November for January transplanting.
Search Imperial Star seed on Amazon →Affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Seed is cheap and is how Imperial Star was designed to be grown. UC research found that seed-grown artichokes look and taste as good as plants grown from divisions. Start seed in November, either in cells (the same seed-starting setup you'd use for tomatoes) or sown directly where they'll grow, and you'll have sturdy plants for the January–March transplant window.
Nursery transplants or crowns save time. UA Extension notes that crowns usually produce buds the first year, while seed-grown plants vary more in production and quality. Either way, pick a variety suited to heat if you can.
Artichokes are big plants. UC Master Gardeners list a mature size of 3–4 feet tall and about 6 feet across, and recommend 4–6 feet between plants. UA's Yavapai guide uses closer 18-inch spacing in rows 2–3 feet apart, which suits smaller plants. UA says three or four plants are enough for a small family.
Artichokes need consistent moisture. UA Extension says they can survive drought but won't produce well without steady water. Water often right after transplanting. UC Master Gardeners give 1–2 waterings a week as a typical rhythm. In Phoenix, that will increase as spring warms up, so check the soil a few inches down (see how to water a Phoenix vegetable garden). Drip under a layer of mulch works well.
For feeding, UA suggests a light side-dressing of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during the growing season. UC suggests fertilizing in spring and fall.
UC Master Gardeners warn that frost damages the outer parts of artichoke buds, and severe or frequent frosts can damage or kill the plants. That matters in the East Valley. NOAA's 1991–2020 normals put the median first freeze at East Mesa and Chandler Heights around December 10 and the median last freeze around February 1, with a 1-in-10 chance of a freeze after about February 27. Central Phoenix (Sky Harbor) freezes less than once a year on average.
So a January transplant may see a few freeze nights. When NWS Phoenix issues a Freeze Watch or Freeze Warning, cover the plants with frost cloth draped to the ground. UA Extension uses about 50°F under the cover as the cue to take sheets or blankets off in the morning. Details are in my Phoenix frost dates and frost protection guide.
The same frost cloth I list on the gear page. It's light enough to leave over hoops through a cold stretch.
Frost cloth on Amazon →Affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The edible part is the flower bud: the tender bases of the scales (bracts) and the heart underneath. Harvest buds while they're still tight, before the scales start to open. UA Extension advises watching the ripening buds closely in Arizona and harvesting them before they open or turn tough. Cut each bud with 2–3 inches of stem attached (UC).
As the weather warms, UC notes that heat toughens the bud scales and lowers quality and yield. In Phoenix, that means your best artichokes come in late winter and spring, and the season winds down as the heat builds.
Miss a few? The purple flowers can be dried for arrangements (UA).
UC Master Gardeners say artichokes are perennial in mild climates but annual in the low desert, and they don't recommend perennial plantings where hot weather is common. The simplest Phoenix plan is to pull the plant once heat ends the harvest and replant next season.
If you want to try keeping one, UC's perennial method is to cut the whole plant to the ground after the spring harvest peak, then cut back or stop watering for several weeks so it goes summer-dormant. When you start watering again, new growth follows. Treat that as an experiment in Phoenix, not a sure thing.
Yes. UA Extension's Maricopa County calendar includes globe artichokes, and University of California research developed Imperial Star for desert annual production. Plant in winter and harvest in spring.
In the Phoenix area, UA Extension lists artichoke seed from November 1 to December 1 and transplants from January 15 to March 15. UC Master Gardeners also suggest September planting in the low desert.
UC Master Gardeners treat them as annuals in low desert regions because heat toughens the buds and cuts yields. You can try cutting a plant back for summer dormancy, but replanting each winter is the dependable approach.
They're a different plant, a sunflower grown for its tubers. UA's calendar lists Jerusalem artichoke transplants from January 15 to May 15, with 6 to 8 months to harvest.
Want every planting date in one place? My Phoenix Planting Calendar lays out what to plant every month for Phoenix and the East Valley. It's $7, instant PDF download.