Scorzonera judaica

Eig

Ga'fur

Asteraceae Edible: Flowers, Leaves, Tuber, Root

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Scorzonera judaica, commonly called Jordanian viper's grass, Judean viper's grass, or what was earlier known as salsify, is a species of geophyte of the family Asteraceae with yellow flowers. It is native to the eastern Mediterranean as far as Afghanistan.

Description

A herb. It can keep growing from year to year.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The taproots of this herb are edible and eaten raw when young, but in age they require either cooking or roasting first. In the autumn of the first or second year, the roots can be prepared by being thoroughly rinsed, sectioned and boiled in salt water for a few minutes, then sautéed in a frying pan with a dash of olive oil. A palatable soup can be made from 20 roasted corms, flavored with spring onions, olive oil and a dash of salt.

Traditional Uses

The tuber is roasted and eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a Mediterranean plant. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Mediterranean, Middle East, North Africa, Sinai, Syria, Turkey, Türkiye,

Also Known As

Ka'fur

References (3)

Al-Qura'n, S. A., 2010, Ethnobotanical and Ecological Studies of Wild Edible Plants in Jordan. Libyan Agriculture Research Center Journal International 1(4):231-243
Bailey, C. and Danin, A., 1981, Bedouin Plant Utilization in Sinai and the Negev. Economic Botany 35(2): 145-162
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 14th April 2011]