Has anyone grown Salsify or Scorzonera (Black Salsify) please?
They have long skinny roots that. reputedly, taste like oysters. They also have pretty flowers in pink and yellow so perfect for my Edible, Ornamental garden.
I'm wondering whether they can be grown together or whether they would cross and the next generation would have orangey coloured flowers and taste of kippers?
Yes, I have ...maybe 8 or so years ago. I can't remember much but I only gre them the one w so possibly weren't for me
Yes, both a few times. I like scorzonera better but both were difficult to get out the ground without snapping. Taste nice and quite distinctive, but nothing like oysters! Pretty flowers, yellow maybe - it was a few years ago.
I doubt that I'd be able to dig out one of the roots without snapping it but the flowers sound interesting and are edible and you can eat the spring shoots too.
Looking at the flower, I think I've grown it before too but never eaten it!!
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-...es/salsify
Never tried growing or eating either of them. I keep meaning to. I’ll definitely be putting more effort into acquiring/buying seeds. I’d no idea the flowers were so pretty & edible.
I grew scorzonera in 2012 looking at my journal germination was poor and I only had a couple of roots and wasn't to impressed with the taste. Stuck to growing parsnips instead.
I grew Salsify many years ago. They had wonderful flowers but were no good for cutting as they only lasted one day from what I remember?
Its either Salsify or scorson-watcimackallit that takes a couple of year methinks to develop a decent size root............or did I dream that?
I think Salsify is biennial and Scorzywotsit is perennial. Mind you, if you dig up the roots to eat, its doesn't have much of a future!
If (big IF) any of my old seeds germinate (and they're supposed to be sown in situ) I'll be growing them for the flowers and shoots first - unless there are lots of them in which case I'll dig one up!