Artichokes were first cultivated in the Mediterranean region thousands of years ago. Specifically, they were grown in the northern region of Africa, like Egypt and Maghreb, The bud contains the heart, the delightful, meaty core of the artichoke, topped by center which is surrounded by rows of petals that protect the artichoke heart. artichokes are the size of a pea, and if they are not harvested at the proper time, they blossom into beautiful—but inedible—blue-violet flowers.