How to grow Salsify in Australia
Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius), sometimes called the oyster plant, is an old-fashioned root crop with long, slender, pale roots and grassy leaves. The roots taste mild and nutty, a little like artichoke heart or asparagus, and they are almost never sold in shops, so growing your own is the only way to try them.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Salsify in Australia
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | March to June | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | March to June | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | March to July | Longer cool season than SEQ. Sow salsify direct Mar to Jul for roots through winter and spring. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | February to July | Extended cool season. Deep roots love Melbourne conditions. |
| Adelaide & SA | February to July | Extended cool season. Good conditions. |
| Perth & WA | March to July | Sow Mar to Jul direct with fresh seed. Roots grow through the mild winter and are dug in spring. |
| Tasmania | September to November | Sow Sep to Nov. Dig through winter. Thrives in the cool. |
| Canberra & ACT | September to November | Sow Sep to Nov into warming soil; long season root. Frost sweetens; dig from late autumn through winter. |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not viable. Cool-season root crop. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Cool-season root crop. |
Not to be confused with: Scorzonera, or black salsify, a related root with black skin, yellow flowers and a deeper flavour. Salsify has pale skin and purple flowers. Both are grown the same way.
Where to plant
Salsify needs full sun and deep, light, free-draining soil with no stones, so the long roots can grow straight down. Dig the bed deeply and add well-rotted compost a few months ahead. Do not use fresh manure, which makes the roots fork and split.
It is a cool-season crop that grows slowly through autumn and winter or through the cool months after a spring sowing.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: sow from March to June for roots in late winter and spring.
- Sydney and Perth: sow from March to July.
- Melbourne and Adelaide: sow from February to July.
- Hobart and Canberra: sow from September to November into warming soil, then dig from late autumn through winter, after the frosts have sweetened the roots.
- North Queensland and Darwin: not suited.
How to plant
- Use fresh seed each year. Like parsnip, salsify seed loses its viability quickly.
- Sow directly where the plants will grow, as transplanting makes the roots fork.
- Make a shallow drill about 1 cm deep, water along it, sow the seed thinly and cover it.
- Keep the soil moist. Germination is slow and uneven, taking two to three weeks.
- Thin the seedlings to 10 to 15 cm apart, in rows 20 to 30 cm apart.
Watering and feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially in dry spells. Uneven watering leads to split and woody roots.
Salsify needs little or no feeding in soil that was prepared with compost. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers and fresh manure.
Pruning and care through the year
- Weed by hand often, as the grassy seedlings are easily swamped.
- Protect young seedlings from slugs and snails.
- Remove flower heads before they set seed if you do not want it to spread. Salsify can self-seed and become weedy if it is left to go to seed.
Harvesting
Roots are ready from about four to five months after sowing, and they can stay in the ground and be dug as needed through winter. Frost helps sweeten the flavour.
Dig carefully down beside the row with a fork and ease each root out, as the long roots snap easily and bleed sap when cut. Fresh roots keep a week or two wrapped in the fridge, or several weeks packed in damp sand in a cool, dark place.
Growing in pots
Salsify can grow in a deep container, at least 40 cm deep, filled with a light, stone-free potting mix. Keep it evenly moist. A bed of deep, loose soil gives longer roots.
Using it
Scrub the roots and boil or steam them, then peel; the skin is easier to remove after cooking. Once peeled, drop them into water with a little lemon juice, as they discolour quickly. Serve with butter, in gratins and soups, or fried in batter.
Roots left in the ground reshoot in spring, and the young shoots can be blanched and eaten like asparagus. Second-year plants send up purple flowers with edible buds and petals.
Saving seed
Leave one or two roots in the ground over winter. In their second year they flower, then form large, fluffy seed heads like a dandelion. Collect the seed as the heads open, before it blows away, and sow it the next season, as it does not keep long.
Varieties
- Mammoth Sandwich Island
Companion planting
Salsify is slow and narrow, so it suits a bed of other root crops and quick leafy crops that make use of the space while it grows.
Good companions
Pests and diseases
Salsify has few problems. Slugs and snails on seedlings are the main worry.
Pests to watch for
- Slugs Seedlings eaten off at ground level, especially after rain.
- Snails Ragged holes in young leaves and slime trails.
Diseases to watch for
- White rust White, blister-like pustules on the leaves and stems. Remove affected leaves and do not crowd plants.
Common questions
What does salsify taste like?
It has a mild, nutty, slightly sweet flavour that people often compare to artichoke hearts or asparagus. Its old name, the oyster plant, comes from that flavour.
When do I plant salsify in Australia?
Sow in autumn in mild areas such as South East Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, and in spring (September to November) in cold areas such as Hobart and Canberra. It is not suited to the tropics.
Why are my salsify roots forked?
Stones, lumps of clay, fresh manure or transplanting make the roots fork. Grow it in deep, loose, stone-free soil, sow it directly, and do not add fresh manure.
How long does salsify take to grow?
Sources vary from about 10 to 14 weeks to five months or more. Most crops are ready to dig about four to five months after sowing, and the roots can stay in the ground through winter.
What is the difference between salsify and scorzonera?
They are related and grown the same way. Salsify has pale skin and purple flowers. Scorzonera, also called black salsify, has black skin, yellow flowers and a slightly deeper flavour, and it is a perennial that can be left to grow for a second year.
Can salsify become a weed?
It can. Gardening Australia warns that salsify becomes weedy if it is left to go to seed. Remove the flower heads before they set seed unless you are saving seed.
Sources we checked: Gardening Australia: Salsify; RHS: Salsify, grow your own; Garden Organic: How to grow salsify and scorzonera.