Tragopogon porrifolius

Salsify ( Tragopogon porrifolius )

The salsify ( Tragopogon porrifolius ), Mark Haber, purple salsify or oyster plant called, is a useful plant from the sunflower family ( Asteraceae). The oat root is native to the Mediterranean, where it was used since ancient times as a vegetable.

Features

The oat root is a one-to two -year-old plant, which constitutes up to 30 centimeters long taproots. It is 60 to 120 inches high. The stems usually carry several flower baskets. The basket handles are much thickened towards the basket. The bracts extend beyond the ray florets usually. The ray florets are dull purple to purple- lilac. Bloom time is June and July. The fruits are inclusive bill 40 to 55 millimeters long.

Dissemination

The oat root is subsp their wild form Tragopogon porrifolius. australis native to the Mediterranean. In Central Europe the cultural form Tragopogon porrifolius subsp. porrifolius grown and is very rare wild before (Burgenland, Vienna, Upper Austria ).

Use

The oat root is used primarily as a root vegetable, but the leaves can be prepared as lettuce or spinach. The sweet-tasting, milk-based root, whose taste is reminiscent of oysters is very nutritious, which also implies an Alemannic proverb: " Mark Haber makes d ' Jack strong." The tap roots are harvested in the autumn of the first year. They can be rented through the winter.

History

The oat root has been cultivated since the 16th century in Central Europe. With time, however, it was almost entirely supplanted by the better quality and similar -tasting black salsify.