dvdgzmn, if Cynara cardunculus--Cardoon--is what you want to plant, is there any way to talk you out of it? It is rated as a noxious pest on the California Exotic Pest Plant Council, has been singled out as one of the top 20 invasive plants in the East Bay (http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net/pestplants.html) as well. It is Mediterranean in origin and thus highly succeptible to reseeding freely and outcompeting native species if you use it in your garden (it's a heavy seeder). Is there a reason this plant appeals to you so much? And if you truly want seeds, there's plenty of it growing throughout the Bay Area, unfortunately.

David

That's the one. I wasn't aware it was a pest, but after getting my neighbor to cut down his french broom plant (he thought it was pretty and I was tired of pulling up seedlings) I may be morally bound not to plant another invader. Maybe I'll just find a patch in the east bay and go harvest it now and then. Thanks for the tip. By the way, it appeals to me because it tastes good.

Do you know where there might be some cardoons in need of destruction? Tilden Park maybe?

Wow, I didn't know cardoon was such a problem. I have kept mine growing in a half whiskey barrel and have not had a big problem with reseeding. I leave one of the thistle blooms once its starts fading laying in the soil to insure the cardoon plant continues. The others I put in the recycling bin and now wonder if these are reseeding all over when green materials are processed! How does one dispose of the seed heads then?

Eloise,

Just put them in the regular trash. They'll end up too deep in a landfill to grow up. Or to be extra sure, cook em in the microwave for a minute or so, then you can put them with the rest of the greens.