The " Paestum artichoke " IGP, also known as "Tondo di Paestum" is ascribable to the genetic group of the “Romanesco” type of artichoke. The appearance of its rounded flower heads, their high compactness and the absence of thorns on the bracts are the main qualitative characteristics of the " Paestum artichoke ", which has also consecrated its reputation among consumers.
The characteristic of early maturation can also be considered a positive element conferred by its cultivation environment, the Piana del Sele, which allows the " Paestum artichoke " to be on the market before any other type of Romanesco artichoke.
Other typical characteristics of the product are: an average size of the heads (no more than 4 per stem per kg of product), a peduncle less than 10 cm, a green colouring with shades of violet-pink, a fleshy and particularly tasty receptacle.
The commercial features of the " Paestum artichoke " described above are also the result of careful and laborious cultivation techniques that agricultural operators of the Piana del Sele have refined over the decades. The climate which characterizes this area is cool and rainy during the long production period (February-May), thus conferring the typical and appreciated tenderness and delicacy to the product.
The valuable characteristics of the " Paestum artichoke " IGP allow the product to be much appreciated in the kitchen where it is used in the preparation of various recipes and local dishes, such as, pizza with artichokes, artichoke cream and artichoke pie, particularly appreciated by the many tourists who visit the Piana del Sele and the temples of Paestum.
