[ade1865]

Hi, first post, I'll say hi in the meet n greet later 😉
Anyway, we have managed to get an allotment and so are dealing with what was planted by the olds last year and before. So we have what I think is an artichoke, pics added. However, its very big and the bulbs are very small and are opening up. Don't look anything like other artichokes onsite.

My questions are: is it an artichoke? Is it edible? Has it gone over? Has it got too old?

[jambop]

Looks very much like an artichoke to me. I have some in the garden and they are quite different to each other mainly because they were given to me and that they were grown from seed. Growing from seed will always give different flower heads so what you need to do is identify the type you like best and then take all the little side shoots that come off that particular plant and plant them up. Eventually you have a large number of clones of the original. I am pretty sure these will be perfectly edible although they may be a bit far on in their growth.  I have two types one like those you have shown that are a bit spikier than the classic more rounded flower head. My wife prefers the spikey ones so don't chuck them out until you have cooked and tried them out.

[ade1865]

Thanks, I'll hold off for the moment.

[New shoot]

I think that could be a cardoon rather than an artichoke. They can be eaten, but it is the base of the plant you eat and you have to wrap it up to blanch it.

It was a vegetable grown in Victorian kitchen gardens, but usually grown as an ornamental these days. I think it is a bit of a faff to get anything edible unless you have staff who will do all the work for you 

[mumofstig]

I had this typed out and you beat me to it NS 
It looks more like a Cardoon than a globe artichoke, to me.
Cardoon are taller and have leaves that are divided, spiny and very silver gray. Globe Artichoke's leaves are not as finely divided/spiky and not as silver, and have fatter buds than a Cardoon.

[jambop]

Yes could be a cardoon! Just my opinion ... the flower is way nicer than the actual veg ! If you really want something that tastes almost the same but has a lot less fuss get yourself a really good early potato steam then and cool cut into slices and serve with vinaigrette 

[ade1865]

Wow, thanks. Looked up Cardoon, looks just like what I have. Sounds like far too much faff, so it'll be going as soon a so need the room for something sweeter! Cor, you lot know everything!