Artichoke seeds are quite distinctive once you know what to look for. They are not found inside the edible part of the bud, but only after the plant has been allowed to flower and fully mature.
Artichoke seeds are small, oval-shaped, and dark brown to almost black in colour. They measure around 5–7 mm long and often have a slightly pointed end. The surface is firm and smooth, sometimes with faint ridges. Each seed is attached to a tuft of fine, fluffy down, which helps it disperse in the wind much like a dandelion seed.
Globe artichoke seeds look very similar to those of related thistle plants, but are generally a bit larger. Healthy seeds are plump, dark, and heavy for their size, whereas underdeveloped or non-viable seeds will appear small, pale, or shrivelled. When cleaned and dried properly, they resemble small sunflower seeds, though darker in colour and less stripy.