The Artichoke of Montelupone, called "scarciofeno" (artichoke in English) has been locally grown since the 15th century, and has been officially recognized as a traditional product by the Marche Region in the year 2002. It belongs to the thistle family, genus cynara, species scolymus . Its germplasm is kept at the regional bank of Monsampolo del Tronto (AP). The ecotype is distinguished not only by its taste, but also by the absence of thorns and internal fluff.
The variety Artichoke of Montelupone takes its name from the territory of the municipality of Montelupone (MC) between the valleys of the Potenza river and the Chienti river, where cultivation is widespread.
There are two ecotypes of the variety indicated as:
- Ecotype A
- Ecotype B
TheEcotype A has an upright bearing plant, about 60 cm high, with a diameter of about 120 cm. The central flower head (called cimarolo or mammola or madre) is round-oval, thick with tight violet-green bracts, weighing about 130-200 g. First and second order artichokes weigh around 60-130g, while little artichokes weigh around 30-60g. The leaves in the juvenile stage are lanceolate with little incised margin, while in the adult stage they become pinnate with a patent bearing.
TheEcotype B , instead, has a compact plant with a height of about 45 cm and a diameter of about 90 cm. The leaves are pinnate with a patent bearing and white cotton in the upper part. The flower head is oval, medium, with tight, green bracts, slightly tinged with violet, weighing about 110-170 g. First and second order artichokes weigh about 60–110 g, while little artichokes weigh about 30-60 g. This ecotype is characterized by a later production cycle than the ecotype A. In addition to fresh consumption, third-order flower heads (little artichokes) are used for preparations in oil.
The variety is transplanted from October to February and is harvested from April onwards.
In our fields, the biological artichoke of Montelupone is grown following the Disciplinary of production of the Biological Artichoke of Montelupone.
The advantages of the biological artichoke of Montelupone
The Montelupone artichoke produced with organic farming method has a triple beneficial effect. It is:
Tasty: it has a natural, unique, more satisfying and satiating taste for the palate; it is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and minerals, calcium, iron, chromium and magnesium.
Healthy: it helps to strengthen the state of good health; it is rich in healing and protective substances that the body absorbs quickly; it is free of harmful neurotoxins especially for children; has a protective, tonic and anti-aging effect; it is not treated with chemicals; it does not carry pesticide residues; it is not treated with radiation; it is free from genetically modified GMO organisms; it is checked, tested and guaranteed; it is not exposed to the artificial ripening process.
Natural: it is cultivated respecting the rhythm of the climatic seasons and the rotations of the land; helps the environment, does not contaminate nature with chemical additives; it is produced with reduced use of raw materials; it does not damage the life of the fauna that lives in the fields; it is an Italian, local product, typical of the Marche region and enriches biodiversity (90 varieties of artichoke grown in Italy); does not contribute to polluting the water network with the use of pesticides.
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