Artichoke (Cardoon) cut leaf – Cynara cardunculus

A perennial Mediterranean plant of the Asteraceae family, cardoon is a close cousin of the cultivated artichoke. Its ample, toothed leaves are harvested at the beginning of flowering and then dried away from light. Known for its bitter taste, it is common in European herbal tea traditions.

Description

Roughly cut leaves, gray-green to brown-green in color. Their texture is fibrous and dry, and their pronounced herbal odor is reminiscent of classic bitter plants. Once infused, they release an intense and persistent flavor.

Nomenclature

• Common names: Wild artichoke, cardoon, edible thistle
• Latin name: Cynara cardunculus
• Family: Asteraceae
• Part used: Leaf
• Form: Cut, dried
• Origin: Mediterranean, Southern Europe
• English name: Wild artichoke leaf
• Name in German: Kardonenblatt
• Name in Spanish: Cardo Leaf
• Name in Italian: Foglia di cardo selvatico
• Name in Arabic: ورق الخرشوف البري (Waraq al-Kharshouf al-Barrī)

Main virtues

A traditional bitter plant, cardoon leaf is used in infusions, sometimes in combination with digestive or tonic plants. It is also incorporated into certain hair care formulas or aperitif herbal teas.

Main constituents

Phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, cynarin), flavonoids, sesquiterpene lactones, tannins.

Use and dosage

• Infusion: 1 tablespoon for 250 ml of simmering water, infuse for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Maceration: cold or in vinegar to extract the bitters.
• External use: as a hair rinse or traditional herbal bath.

Precautions, side effects and contraindications

• Bitter plant: intense taste that may not suit everyone.
• Avoid if allergic to Asteraceae.
• Not recommended during pregnancy without medical advice.

History and origin

Already used by the Greeks and Romans, cardoon leaves appear in medieval herbal treatises. Cultivated in monastic vegetable gardens, they are also used in peasant cooking for their young stems. Today, they remain an emblematic plant of Mediterranean traditions.

Miscellaneous information

• Storage: opaque jar or kraft bag, away from humidity.
• Packaging: bulk, metal box, resealable bag.
• Appearance: dark green to grayish dry fragments.
• Odor: bitter, herbaceous, slightly balsamic.

Sources and references

• Pl@ntUse – https://uses.plantnet-project.org
• Corpus of European herbalism
• Ethnobotany of the Mediterranean Basin
• Historical culinary and medicinal references

🔎 Information

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