salsify

or oyster plant

Biennial herbaceous plant (Tragopogon porrifolius) of the aster family (Asteraceae), native to the Mediterranean. The thick, white taproot is cooked as a vegetable and tastes somewhat like oysters. The plant has purple flowers and narrow leaves whose bases usually clasp the stem. Goatsbeard, or meadow salsify (T. pratensis), is a weedy European species, naturalized in North America, that has a large yellow flower head. It is occasionally cultivated as an ornamental, and its leaves, flowers, and roots are sometimes eaten in salads.

Find more information on salsify. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on salsify.