# Salsifies (*Tragopogon*)

Salsifies are special plants with long, green leaves and bright yellow flowers. They grow in fields and gardens, and their roots are tasty and can be eaten like vegetables!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands
- **Also known as:** Oyster Plant, Vegetable Oyster

![Salsifies](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tragopogon_porrifolius_flower.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Stephen Lea, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tragopogon_porrifolius_flower.jpg)

## Appearance

The Salsifies has striking yellow or purple daisy-like flowers that close and twist into a spiral by late afternoon. Its most unique feature is its enormous, airy seed head, resembling a giant dandelion puffball, standing tall in meadows.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Tragopogon

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Romans and Greeks ate Salsifies roots, long before carrots became popular!
- Salsifies flowers are often called 'Goat's Beard' because their seed heads look like a fluffy white beard!
- The plant's stems ooze a milky white sap when broken, a sticky secret many plants keep!
- Their huge seed heads can be bigger than your hand, easily double the size of a dandelion puffball!

## Special abilities

- **Parachute Seeds:** Salsifies has large, feathery seeds that catch the wind, allowing it to spread widely and find new places to grow.
- **Deep Drinker:** Salsifies has a long, sturdy taproot that helps it reach deep into the soil to find water and nutrients during dry spells.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-6 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Biennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits flowers for nectar
- **Eaten by:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Browses on young leaves
- **Eaten by:** [garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Feeds on foliage

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching or tasting any plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Salsifies?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Salsifies?

30-100 cm

### How wide does Salsifies spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Salsifies?

3-6 cm

### When does Salsifies bloom?

Summer

### Is Salsifies edible?

Yes

### Is Salsifies toxic?

None

### What is Salsifies's lifecycle?

Biennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Salsifies: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/salsifies)