southern European plant having spiny leaves and purple flowers cultivated for its edible leafstalks and roots
only parts eaten are roots and especially stalks (blanched and used as celery); related to artichokes
Cynara cardunculus, a prickly perennial plant related to the artichoke which has leaf stalks eaten as a vegetable.
The word cardoon comes from the Latin term carduus, which means "thistle." It entered English via Middle French and is a doublet of the word chard.