You may have heard of salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) before, but are you familiar with black salsify (Pseudopodospermum hispanicum)? Or how to cultivate, harvest, and prepare it?
This root vegetable is quite nutrient-dense and packed with iron, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. It’s also rich in both fiber and protein and is honestly absolutely delicious and worth growing at least once.
In this article, we’re going to introduce you to growing black salsify. This incredible veg is as easy to grow as it is wonderful to eat.
What is Black Salsify, Exactly?
Black salsify, also known as oyster root, viper’s herb, Spanish salsify, or serpent root (formerly Scorzonera hispanica) is a plant in the lettuce family that grows absolutely delicious edible roots and tasty greens.
It was treasured during the Medieval era when it was a delicacy enjoyed by princes and paupers alike.
Unlike white salsify, this darker species roots blacken upon exposure to oxygen, hence its name. It’s also known as “scorzonera” due to the Medieval belief that this dark, snake-like root was an effective treatment for snake bites.
It was incredibly popular right through the Victorian era and into the early part of the 20th century, only falling out of favor with the advent of refrigeration, as well as international trade.
People who could now get artichokes and asparagus year-round stopped caring as much about this odd little root, and it practically disappeared from gardens and menus all over North America and Europe.
It’s time for black salsify to make a comeback.
Planting Black Salsify
It’s quite easy to grow black salsify from seed, so just ensure you purchase yours from a reputable seed company or nursery. Alternatively, depending on where you’re located, you may be able to find seedlings to plant instead.
Find some at Amazon from Hometown Seeds in a gram package.
Either seeds or seedlings are a decent option, though seedlings will mature more quickly and are often more reliable than seeds, especially if you’re uncertain as to their viability.
When sowing, plant your seeds or seedlings approximately a half inch (or 1 cm) deep, spaced 12-15 inches apart. This allows each plant enough space to spread out and develop to its greatest potential.
Each will grow to about 30 inches tall and 12 inches wide, and leaving space between them is best for air circulation and sun exposure. Concerning timing, plant directly in your outdoor beds two weeks before your last frost date.
Beans, lettuce, onions, and calendula are great companion plants for these plants. Their shallow roots won’t compete for nutrients, the beans will help to fix nitrogen, and the leaves can act as a living mulch to keep moisture in the surrounding soil.
Growing Black Salsify
Black salsify roots grow straight and occasionally very long, so they need deep, finely textured, well-draining soil such as sandy loam for them to stretch out.
When you’re preparing your bed, dig down 2-3 feet (around a meter or yard deep) and remove any stones that may impede the roots’ growth.
These plants are heavy feeders, so make sure to amend your soil with plenty of well-aged compost and manure, as well as perlite or similar lightweight matter that can assist with drainage and aeration.
When preparing your beds, ensure the area you’ve set aside for your scorzonera is in full sun. These babies need six to eight hours of full sunshine daily. It’ll take about 120-140 days for the roots to fully mature, so take that into consideration while doing your garden planning.
Watering and Feeding
As far as watering goes, black salsify plants pretty much thrive on neglect. Since they’re originally from the Mediterranean, they tolerate drought quite well and can get waterlogged and rot if they’re watered too often.
Any area that gets moderate rainfall should provide them with all the moisture they need—just give them some extra water during longer hot, dry periods.
They don’t need much in the way of fertilizing, either. If you amended the soil well with aged compost before planting, that should be enough for them. That said, few plants object to a deep drink of compost tea partway through their growing season.
If you’re going to nourish them this way, offer the tea at soil level rather than through overhead foliar feeds, and don’t pour the tea too close to the plants’ bases.
Potential Issues When Growing Black Salsify
Although black salsify is quite resistant to diseases and pests, there are a few issues that may arise depending on where you’re located.
Root Rot
If you’re in an area that gets a lot of rainfall, your scorzonera roots may end up rotting from too much water. The best way to prevent this is to grow yours in tall raised beds filled with lots of loose, loamy soil to assist with drainage.
This issue may also arise if you don’t live in a rainy area but are a bit too enthusiastic about your watering efforts.
Powdery Mildew
This normally occurs when plants are sown too close together, thus preventing air from circulating freely between the leaves. Prevent this by spacing your plants well apart, and never watering from above—just at soil level.
If the weather gets too humid and you’re worried about fungal issues, prune the leaves to make sure enough light and air reach them. This should lessen the chances of fungal spores taking hold.
Snails and Slugs
Slugs and snails are the bane of many gardeners and can wreak havoc on your plants’ stems and leaves. If you keep ducks, chickens, or guinea fowl, let them run around your black salsify beds so they can pick these off and eat them.
Alternatively, you can create tasty beer slug traps nearby to capture their interest or use copper tape as a barrier. Please try not to use slug pellets to kill them, as that will kill any creatures that feed on the slugs, such as frogs, snakes, hedgehogs, and various bird species.
Aphids
Although this plant isn’t known to attract aphids, they can certainly make their way over to your crop if they infest others nearby.
Every garden can benefit from plants that draw predatory insects like lacewings and ladybugs, as they’ll happily munch on those aphids and keep them from transmitting diseases to your various plants.
Alternatively, you can hose everything down with neem oil or insecticidal soap, making all of your plants spectacularly unpalatable to these insidious insects.
Carrot Flies
Black salsify only attracts carrot flies if there aren’t any other carrot species around for them to lay their eggs on. You can fend these off from your plants by covering them with floating row covers like you would cabbages or kale.
Additionally, there’s some evidence Queen Anne’s Lace may be an effective “trap crop” if planted near scorzonera.
Harvesting and Storage
If you’re growing black salsify as a multi-purpose plant, note that its edible parts are harvested at different times. The leaves are best enjoyed when young and tender, in springtime and early summer.
The flowers are also edible and will appear in mid to late summer. Finally, their roots will fully mature by mid to late autumn.
These roots are quite brittle, so the harvesting method is a bit different from how you’d approach beets or carrots. Use a lifting fork to gently loosen the soil all the way around each plant, and then slowly lift it out as straight as possible.
You can even use a spade to help lever it out. If you simply try to yank it free from the ground, you’re likely to snap it instead.
Black salsify roots are quite frost-tolerant, so you don’t have to panic about harvesting them before your area’s first frost date.
In fact, they’re often sweeter and more flavorful after exposure to a frost or two. If you live between USDA 7 and 9, you can even leave the plants in your garden and simply pull the roots out as needed.
Alternatively, if you live in a colder zone, harvest around the time of the first frost and put them into cold storage, between 30-40°F (or 0-4°C). Just like carrots, burdock, parsnips, and other hardy roots, scorzonera can be stored well in damp sand.
Keep them in a cold cellar or fridge with fairly high humidity, and they should keep well for three to four months.
Black Salsify Recipe Ideas
One important thing to know about this plant is that it exudes a very sticky latex when you peel it. As such, the best method I’ve come across is to peel them beneath warm running water, while wearing kitchen gloves.
Additionally, you’ll need to pop the peeled roots into lemon water (or water that has a bit of vinegar added to it) immediately or they’ll oxidize and turn brown before you can blink.
Remember how one of the black salsify’s common monikers is the “oyster plant.” This is because when it’s cooked, it has a flavor and texture reminiscent of baked oysters.
As such, it’s ideal for vegan recipes that would have otherwise called for oysters or would benefit from a slightly sweet-fishy flavor. For example, I have chopped it and used it in lieu of oysters in chowder or creamy baked pot pies to great effect.
This roots artichoke-like texture and flavor lends well to soups, dips, and gratins, but you can also simply cook it as you would asparagus. Most people pair it with a cream sauce like Hollandaise, but it’s just as lovely simply sauteed with olive oil and garlic, and served with chopped fresh herbs.
However you choose to prepare it, this plant is an easy-to-grow and rather delectable addition to anyone’s kitchen garden. Happy growing!