Tragopogon crocifolius

Asteraceae Edible: Leaves, Root 226 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Annual or biennial reaching 80 cm tall with hermaphrodite flowers appearing in July. Tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. Grows in mildly acidic to basic soils but requires full sun and consistently moist conditions.

Description

A herb. It is like salsify but the leaves do not widen much at the base. The flower heads are violet with the centre yellow.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The root can be cooked and eaten. Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are eaten boiled in soups or raw in salads. They are seasoned with oil and salt.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows on grassy and stony habitats in the Mediterranean.

Where It Grows

Africa, Egypt, Europe, France, Greece, Italy, Mediterranean, North Africa, Portugal, Sicily, Spain,

Cultivation

Succeeds in ordinary garden soils, including heavy clays.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring directly in situ. Water in well if the weather is dry.

Other Uses

None known.

Notes

There are about 50 Tragopogon species.

References (7)

Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 464
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 651
Lentini, F. and Venza, F., 2007, Wild food plants of popular use in Sicily. J Ethnobiol Ethnomedicine. 3: 15
Nebel, S., Pieroni, A. & Heinrich, M., 2006, Ta cho`rta: Wild edible greens used in the Graecanic area in Calabria, Southern Italy. Appetite 47 (2006) 333–342
Pasta, S., et al, 2020, An Updated Checklist of the Sicilian Native Edible Plants: Preserving the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Century-Old Agro-Pastoral Landscapes. Frontiers in Plant Science. Volume 11|Article 388

Show all 7 references

Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Tardio, J., et al, Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants in Spain. Botanical J. Linnean Soc. 152 (2006), 27-71