There are two theories as to its origin: artichokes may have come from the Levant, derived from the cardoon or thistle through a cross-fertilization process, while others attribute it to the work of Italian horticulturists.[3] The first record of artichoke cultivation in Italy was during the fifteenth century in Naples, where it was considered a new food species.[4]
In 1466, Filippo Strozzi brought the first artichoke to Florence. By 1473, it had arrived in Venice. In 1915, 64,000 tons were produced.[5] Italy produces dozens of varieties.[6]
