Salsify
Tragopogon porrifolius
Oyster plant. A slender taproot with a mild oyster/artichoke rumor of flavor. Scorzonera is a black-skinned relative.
GROW → HARVEST → EAT → DRY → POWDER → CAPSULE → GUMMY — forms are not equivalent. Food first.
Identity
Also called: oyster plant
What it is
Oyster plant. A slender taproot with a mild oyster/artichoke rumor of flavor. Scorzonera is a black-skinned relative.
Edible portions
- roots
- young shoots
Absence of a portion from this list means it is not treated as food here — not that every other part is toxic.
Growing
- Climate. Biennial grown as annual
- Light. Full sun
- Soil. Deep, loose, stone-free
- Planting. Direct-sow; long season.
- Harvest. Late fall; roots snap easily.
Preparation and culinary uses
- Scrape, cook soon (they brown)
- Gratin
Next steps
Sources
- USDA PLANTS Database — taxonomy and range (verify current entries)
- No USDA FoodData Central nutrient profile is attached here. That is not a claim that the plant contains no nutrients.
- State cooperative extension growing guides — verify for your region
Honest incompleteness is preferred to fabricated completeness. If a section is missing, no record for it is attached here — not a claim that the plant lacks that characteristic, and not that it was omitted as a secret.
Internal quality class B. Good foundation: enough unique information to exist as its own destination.