As anyone who has tried to remove an artichoke thistle knows, spines and thick roots make the mission almost impossible. Like other invasive weeds, Cynara cardunculus became established after its introduction by settlers. The tenacious thistle adapted well to Southern California's mild climate, so similar to its native Mediterranean region. First cultivated in Naples around the middle of the 9th century A.D., artichokes were prized as a delicacy in Italian recipes by the 16th century and were cultivated in Henry VIII's Newhall garden. As useful as the cultivar may be, however, the naturalized version has become a pest with few equals in our wilderness. Removing invasive plants and culivating and planting native species helps us KEEP IT WILD.