Stephen Dalton / Close up of a Cynara sp flower, UK.

Stephen Dalton / Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii) feeding on (Cynara sp) flower, UK.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Quinta / Wild thistle (Cynara humilis) Alentejo, Natural Park of South West Alentejano and Costa Vicentina, Portugal, June 2009

Ernie Janes / Globe artichoke or Cardoon Thistle (Cynara cardunculus) cultivated plant in garden.

Konrad Wothe / Assorted vegetables, Germany

Ernie Janes / Globe artichoke or Cardoon thistle (Cynara cardunculus), cultivated plant.

Jouan Rius / Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) flower, in vegetable garden, France

Ernie Janes / Harvested cultivated Globe artichoke / Cardoon thistle (Cynara cardunculus) England, UK.

Ernie Janes / Globe artichoke / Cardoon Thistle (Cynara cardunculus) flower. England, UK.

Nick Upton / Wild artichoke / Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) flowering, Sitia Nature Park, Lasithi, Crete, Greece, July.

Will Watson / Queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) on Cardoon (Cynara cardunclus), Worcestershire, England, UK, August.

Constantinos Petrinos / Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) Spetses Island, Aegean Sea, Greece, April.