Tim Pender Jr., age 13, of Santa Cruz, Calif., for his question:

WHERE DID THE ARTICHOKE ORIGINATE?

Artichoke is a name given to two different plants: the globe artichoke and the Jerusalem artichoke.

The globe artichoke, a large gray green plant that looks like a thistle, is native to the Mediterranean region where it originated. The leading globe artichoke growing state is California.

The Jerusalem artichoke is closely related to the sunflower. It has yellow flowers that bloom in the fall and its potato like roots are used as food. It is cultivated in France and grows wild in the Corn Belt of the United States.

Sometimes the Jerusalem artichoke is grown for sugar production. If this is the case, a special variety is used. The tubers are planted in the spring and dug up in the fall. When the plant is grown as stock feed, the tubers are plowed under and the crop is allowed to grow wild.

Jerusalem artichoke tubers are high in food value and are eaten as a table vegetable. The globe artichoke, with flower buds that are edible, is looked upon as a gourmet dish.