Common Salsify

Common Salsify Care

Tragopogon Porrifolius

What is the plant

Tragopogon porrifolius is a plant cultivated for its ornamental flower and edible root. It also grows wild in many places and is one of the most widely known species of the salsify genus, Tragopogon. The plant grows to around 1.2 m (4 ft) in height. As with other Tragopogon species, its stem is largely unbranched and the leaves are somewhat grasslike. It exudes a milky juice from the stems. The taproots can become 15–30 cm (6–11+3⁄4 in) long and 2–5 cm (3⁄4–2 in) thick.

The root and the young shoots of T. porrifolius can be eaten (after being boiled)

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Hardiness zone

6a - 11

Difficulty

Easy

Hibernation

Cold Period

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Water regularly in the first weeks. Try to avoid watering on sunny afternoons to minimize the amount of moisture lost to evaporation. If your plant is in a pot, check the top soil in the pot either by looking at it or touching it with your finger.
Fertilizer
Use a well-balanced fertilizer as a side dressing midseason. Avoid nitrogen-heavy fertilizers like manure.
Soil
Salsify prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Planting time. Salsify is a hardy cool-weather root crop. Sow salsify 2 weeks before the last expected frost in spring when the soil temperature has reached about 40°F (4.4°C).

Disease diagnosis

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Temperature
Salsify prefers a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. Planting time. Salsify is a hardy cool-weather root crop. Sow salsify 2 weeks before the last expected frost in spring when the soil temperature has reached about 40°F (4.4°C).
Container
A commercial organic planting mix or potting soil would be ideal for raised beds or container growing.
Additional
The problem with identifying the plant by the seed head is that at that stage, it is less good for eating. As with all members of the dandelion family, every single part of this plant is edible, meaning non poisonous. Salsify produces erect, unbranched stem that can reach 2 to 4 feet in height. Salsify develops green, thin, grass-like leaves. Salsify has slender, carrot-shaped, snow-white root covered with rough skin on the surface. Salsify produces purple flower heads surrounded with green bracts.