Saving your own artichoke seed is possible, but it takes patience and the right timing. Artichokes are usually grown as perennials in the UK, but they will flower and produce seed if left unharvested. This guide explains how to collect, save, and identify seeds from artichoke plants.
To collect seed, you need to allow some flower heads to fully mature instead of harvesting them for eating. Once the flower has bloomed and the petals have faded, the head should be left to dry on the plant until it turns brown and starts to fluff out. At this stage, the seed inside is mature. Cut the head from the plant and leave it somewhere cool and dry to finish drying before breaking it open.
When the heads are completely dry, carefully pull them apart. Inside the seed head you’ll find small, dark brown seeds attached to fluffy material. Separate the seeds from the fluff and discard any that look small or pale, as these are unlikely to be viable. Store the seeds in a paper envelope or airtight container, labelled with the variety and year collected. Kept in a cool, dry place, they will remain viable for several years.
Seeds are produced after the flower has gone past the edible stage. Once the bloom is pollinated and left to mature, the seed forms at the base of the flower structure. To extract, simply rub or shake the dried flower heads to release the seeds. Sifting them through a fine sieve or gently blowing away the chaff will help clean them before storage.
Unlike the edible buds that are harvested in their immature state, artichoke seeds form only after the plant has flowered. They are located inside the dried flower head, hidden among the fluffy seed down that helps them disperse. You won’t find seeds inside the artichoke hearts we eat — only fully mature flowers contain them.