Globe Artichoke

These were huge, and unfortunately untagged, but I think it has to be some type of thistle. It's almost as large as a protea, which I don't think would even grow here in Virginia.

 

I looked it up on Wikipedia, and it appears to be an artichoke (Thanks, Maureen). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artichoke

 

I always thought they were a ground plant, silly me. I'm in Zone 7, so according to the Wikipedia article, it makes sense for it to be growing here. Learn something new everyday. The one above doesn't appear to be edible.

 

 

Done