Salsify - Oyster Plant
I recently planted Salsify, also known as Oyster Plant or Vegetable Oyster, in my garden and the seeds have already sprouted and began growing.
Salsify is a rather uncommon root crop that is not often found growing in home gardens, but is actually a very care free vegetable to cultivate.
Planting and Growing Salsify or Oyster Plant
Oyster plant’s main claim to fame is for producing an edible root with a taste that is similar to oysters. I have to confess that while I’ve grown oyster plants for a number of years, I have never eaten it, which I’ll explain the reason for a little later in this article.
Despite my resistance to cooking Salsify, I’ve grown it out of curiosity as an ornamental plant and to attract beneficial insects, which are drawn to the plant’s purple flowers. As a biennial, these flowers typically don’t show up in the garden until the plants second season of growth.
To grow salsify scatter the stick-like seeds over a deeply loosened and composted raised bed, and cover the seeds with a thin layer of topsoil or fine compost. Like parsnips, always use fresh seeds as they lose viability rather quickly. Plant salsify as early as possible in the spring for a fall harvest.
Be careful that you don’t dislodge the germinating seedlings as they look more like tiny twigs protruding from the ground than any type of vegetable plant that I’ve ever seen.
Harvesting and Preparing Vegetable Oyster Roots
The brown seedlings will eventually grow into long, slender, clumps of grass like green leaves that are also edible and can be added to mixed salads. The tan colored roots can reach eight to twelve inches in length and about an inch in diameter.
Mature salsify roots can be dug up in the fall or they can be left in the ground over the winter and will resprout new leaves and produce both flowers and seeds during subsequent seasons. I’ve noticed roots that continue to grow for a number of years from a single planting.
As I mentioned earlier, I have never cooked salsify roots, and the reason is that they seemed somewhat of a hassle to prepare. First you have to carefully wash them and remove the thin skin by peeling or scraping. The roots also exude a sticky, milky white liquid when they are cut into.
Once the outer layer of skin has been removed the roots must be quickly covered with cool water containing lemon juice or vinegar in order to prevent discoloration. From there one popular recipe calls for boiling the roots, mashing the cooked salsify, and forming them into fritters which are then fried. All of which explains my reluctance to try them out in the kitchen.
I’ve recently noticed simpler cooking methods that involve a more basic sauteing or steaming of the salsify roots, or including them in soups or stews, so I plan to make it a point to actually try them out this season.
Black Salsify and Other Varieties
There are a few varieties of oyster plant listed in the vegetable seed catalogs including Mammoth Sandwich Island, French Blue Flowered, and Improved Mammoth.
In addition you’ll find a similar vegetable called Scorzonera or Black Salsify which has an identical growth habit. Scorzonera produces wider leaves, yellow flowers and a black skinned root, but is otherwise very similar to salsify and can be grown, harvested, and prepared in the same manner.
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April 18th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
I’ve been growing salsify for a couple of years, and the trick to growing and cooking it without hassle is to grow it in soil that is deep and soft (sandy soil is good if you have it — I don’t) so that the roots grow large without splitting. Otherwise you get lots of skinny roots that take time to prepare.
But cooking — don’t go to all the hassle of mashing and making fritters. Here’s what you do: Peel or scrape the roots as you would carrots, slice them up, and drop them into a pot of water with lemon juice in it (because they turn brown quickly). Put the pot on the stove, bring it to a boil, and cook them for about 10 or 15 minutes, just until tender. Drain, return to the pot with a lump of butter, and cook a bit more until the water is mostly evaporated and the butter is melted. Add a bit of salt and pepper and serve up. Mmm mmm good! Doesn’t taste like oysters to me — more like cashews. Even my carnivorous veggie-hating son likes these.
April 18th, 2006 at 11:57 pm
Thanks for the tips, I’ll give that a try… I’ve also seen the taste of salsify compared to artichoke hearts.
April 19th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
Mmm. Loving as I do a pan of saute’ed parsnip, I wonder what the salsify would do? The parsnip carmalizes a bit and comes out so lovely and sweet!
May 22nd, 2006 at 4:15 pm
My grandmother & mother always cooked salsify like sliced carrots and served them in a cream sauce- I loved them as a child. Where can I find seeds?
May 27th, 2006 at 9:43 am
Salsify seeds are not commonly found at local garden centers but you can obtain them from most mail order seed suppliers including Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Nichols Garden Nursery. If you purchased my gardening ebook you have free access to a webpage that includes a listing of numerous vegetable seed suppliers that offer heirloom and gourmet seeds of unique and ornamental edible plants such as salsify.
March 31st, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Where can I buy some Black Salsify seeds or plants?
Thanks Marty
April 1st, 2007 at 10:46 am
Hi Martin,
It’s funny that you ask because I just finished planting a few Black Salsify, or Scorzonera seeds in the garden and then noticed your question. I purchased my Black Salsify form Fedco Seeds and it’s a variety called Noir De Russie Scorzonera.
May 18th, 2007 at 9:56 am
I have several self-sown salsify plants in flower in the grass edging of my allotment. I also have some seeds from ones in a neighbours garden, and have only recently discovered what they are. I would grow them just for the sake of the flowers, but shall have a go at sowing some for the pot. Thanks for the ideas!
July 8th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
[...] Of course I couldn’t resist picking up a few of these healthy looking globe artichoke plants and rushed right home to get them set in the garden just before a perfectly timed rainfall. I also planted some broccoli and lettuce transplants and sowed seed for parsnips and black salsify. [...]
July 27th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
I grew up in Belgium and eating salsify is as common as eating hot dogs in the states. We always saute them with a little butter, salt and pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
We see them most often in glass jar like beets, but I just purchased some fresh from Whole Foods.
August 19th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Last year was my first experience with salsify. I had wondered since childhood about it and so purchased some seeds I found at a retail nursery. I got rapid, nearly 100% germination and no pest damage at any stage of growth. As to the flavor frost seems to be key: before frost the flavor was quite mild and nearly identical to jerusalem artichokes but after frost it became definitely oysterish. Has anyone ever tried them as tempura or otherwise deep-fried?
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:29 am
Does salsify require full sun?
October 3rd, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Citrine,
According to what I have read, salsify grows wild in meadows, so I imagine that they do require full sun or at least a spot that’s sunny for most of the day.
October 4th, 2007 at 7:58 am
thanks much, salsify lover!
November 27th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I have been unable to find any seed for black salsify but am anxious to tryit I comtinue my search
January 6th, 2008 at 7:23 am
I have been commercially growing black salsify in Tasmania, Australia for nearly 10 years with my family and wondering if anyone has some seed from “super plants” that they would like to swap or sell me? We are at altitude and find that it loves frost and we grow it in rich, deep sand which limits alot of the forking issues and makes the digging easier.
April 30th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I have grown black salsify from seeds purchased in Gemany. (It’s called Schwarzwurzel there, which translated means Blackroot.) I have found it to be very hardy at an altitude of 5000 feet in Zone 4 in a mountain valley of northern Utah. I had some roots stored in a plastic bag in the back of the refrigerator crisper drawer over the winter, and they are starting to send up new growth right in the refrigerator. So, I planted the roots back out into the garden yesterday, in hopes that I will get a new crop this year.
I have taken an interest in low-labor and hardy edible plants (sustainable) that have value as a “survival” crop. I think salsify might could qualify as one of these types of edible plants.
May 16th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I was digging up my allotment yesterday, and found either a parsnip or salsify. I’m thinking it’s salsify. This is strange because i haven’t sown the seed and i had the plot last year… it’s very strange. If it flowers, can i grow vegetables from them, they’re heritage plants aren’t they? not like hybrids etc?
May 24th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
I want to purchase oyster plants seeds. Can anyone tell me where I can find them?
thanks
May 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Hi Connie, Baker Creek sells them at: RareSeeds.com