Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Tragopogon porrifolius

Other names

Purple Salsify, Common Salsify, Oyster Plant

Family

Asteraceae

Flowering season

May to September

English distribution

It is found throughout the country but is most common in

the Southeast.

For a map see the BSBI distribution map for – Salsify

Habitat

It is a neophyte which has been known in the wild in the

UK since the late 1690s. It is cultivated as a root

vegetable and as an ornamental plant. It escapes from

cultivation and is a casual or becomes naturalised in

waste ground, rough grassland, verges and on sea

cliffs and walls.

Description

Salsify is a biennial herb growing up to 120.

Flowerheads (capitula) are up to 5cm across with the

flowers shorter than the 8 sepal-like bracts (phyllaries).

They open at dawn and close around mid-day.

The ligules of the flowers are bright purple and the

stamens have linear yellow appendages. 

The capitula resemble those of our native 

Goat's-beard but are larger and with purple rather

than yellow ligules.

The flower stems and closed capitula are hairless.

There is a swelling at the top of the flower stem

just below the capitulum.

Leaves are linear and grass-like.

Salsify has both culinary and medicinal uses as

described in this link to Botanical.com - A Modern Herbal.