trefle.io · Taken Apr 15, 2018 by Domingo Naranjo Moreno (cc-by-sa)
Asteraceae
Vegetable-oyster
Tragopogon porrifolius
Also known as Oyster plant, Purple salsify, Salsify
Native Plants · Root Vegetable · Edible · Heirloom · Culinary · Biennial · Salsify · Heritage Vegetable · Garden · Foraging · Asteraceae
Salsify, or vegetable-oyster, is a root vegetable grown for its long, parsnip-like taproot that has a mild oyster-like flavor when cooked. Grow it in deep, loose, well-draining soil in full sun and water consistently to promote even root development without forking. Harvest roots in autumn after the first frost, which sweetens their flavor.
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 6 hours
- Watering
- Water moderately; allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings · Every 7-10 days
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 6–8
- Temperature
- -20°F to 90°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed, Division
Hardiness
USDA 3a-10b
Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 12 in – 6 ft
- Spread
- 3 ft
- Spacing
- 12 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- No
- Foliage
- Medium
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Albania, Alberta, Algeria, Arizona, Arkansas, Baleares, Baltic States, British Columbia, Bulgaria, California, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Chatham Is., Colorado, Connecticut, Corse, Czechoslovakia, Delaware, District Of Columbia, East Aegean Is.
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies
Sources: trefle, usda
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