Artichaut de Nice

Family: Asteraceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Artichaut de Nice to a garden.

Unfurling from tight, armor-plated bracts, Artichaut de Nice delivers a lush, nutty-sweet flavor with a tender, succulent heart that feels velvety to the palate.

The globes mature in a stately, uniform form—deeply textured and richly colored—so they’re as satisfying to grow as they are to savor. Ideal for roasting and steaming, Artichaut de Nice shines in warm dips and savory sauces, and its firm bracts hold beautifully for pickling-style preparations.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 120 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Artichaut de Nice

Location not set yet

Enter your ZIP for local crop dates

Artichaut de Nice Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Apr 6th	Jun 8th	Oct 6th – Jul 15th
Zone 1b	Mar 23rd	May 25th	Sep 22nd – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Mar 16th	May 18th	Sep 15th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 6th	May 8th	Sep 5th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 6th	May 8th	Sep 5th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 10th	May 12th	Sep 9th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 6th	May 8th	Sep 5th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 4th	May 6th	Sep 3rd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Feb 27th	May 1st	Aug 29th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Feb 23rd	Apr 27th	Aug 25th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Feb 20th	Apr 24th	Aug 22nd – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 16th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Feb 9th	Apr 13th	Aug 11th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Jan 30th	Apr 3rd	Aug 1st – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Jan 21st	Mar 25th	Jul 23rd – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Jan 12th	Mar 16th	Jul 14th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Dec 26th	Feb 27th	Jun 27th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 1st	Feb 2nd	Jun 2nd – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Jan 29th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	120
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	50
Min Night Temp (°F)	40
Harden Off (days)	7

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

This Nice-style globe artichoke leans into nutty-sweet nuttiness with a bitterness that softens into something silky at the stem and heart. It holds its texture under roasting and steaming, so you get that satisfying bract-meat bite without the whole thing turning mushy in a hot dip.

Best Uses

steam or boil then pull bracts for hot, spoonable dips
roast until the edges bronze and the center turns creamy
warm reductions (butter-lemon, wine-garlic-free style) for coating pasta or potatoes
quick-pickle or vinegar-style preparations where firm bracts stay snappy

Flavor Profile

nutty-sweet, grassy bitterness that turns mellow when cooked velvety, tender heart with meaty, fiber-snap bracts bright, savory earthiness that loves fat and salt

Kitchen Pairings

butter lemon parmesan white wine olive oil anchovy

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Artichaut de Nice plants getting powdery white spots and dying back at the edges, and what should I do?

Powdery mildew commonly shows up on artichokes as a white, dusty coating on leaves, often starting on the lower foliage. Remove and discard the worst leaves early, then improve airflow by spacing plants and avoiding overhead watering. For control, spray a labeled sulfur or potassium bicarbonate product every 7–10 days until new growth stays clean.

How often should I water Artichaut de Nice during the main growing phase to keep the heads forming well?

From planting through head production, keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—aim for evenly damp soil the top 1–2 inches down. Water deeply 1–2 times per week depending on heat, and increase frequency during windy/hot spells so the crowns don’t dry out. Mulch around the base to stabilize moisture and reduce leaf scorch from fluctuating wet–dry cycles.

How can I tell when Artichaut de Nice is ready to harvest?

Harvest when the outer bracts are tightly closed and the head feels firm, typically around 120 days after sowing/transplanting. The best timing is just before the buds start to loosen or show a hint of purple at the tips. Use a sharp knife to cut the head with a short stem (about 1–3 inches), then you’ll often get smaller side shoots after the main harvest.