The different varieties of artichoke are grouped according to different characteristics, like the height, colour of the leaves, type of inflorescence, productivity, earliness, etc. However, the most used classification is according to the colour of the capitulum, distinguishing ‘white’ varieties, of pale green colour, and ‘violet’ varieties.

Among the white varieties stand out " De Getafe’, "Blanca de Tudela’ and " Gruesa de la Gran Bretaña’; among the violet varieties we find " Violeta de Provenza’, " Violeta temprana’ and " Aranjuez".

Within the white varieties, there are two groups differentiated in Spain. On the one side there are the ‘early’ varieties, that produce even in winter, and the " late" varieties, that bear their fruit only in spring. Among the former we find " Blanca de Tudela’; among the late ones stands out " Aranjuez".

The varieties of artichoke can also be classified according to the country of origin. There are varieties from Great Britain; from France, which at the same time are classified in large, average and small varieties; from Italy, of more or less dark green colour with violet-red shades, and varieties from Spain.

In the last years there have appeared new varieties that are reproduced with seeds, although at the moment they bear artichokes of a quality worse than the traditional ones. One of these varieties is the Israelite " Talpiot".