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Easy to grow. Sow direct. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 30°C.

Grow as for parsnips

Your comments and tips

19 Dec 07 Mallee Ward (Unknown climate)

I tried salsify as a child, and loved it. Have not seen or heard of it for 45 years, can one buy seeds?

13 Jan 08 Liz (Unknown climate)

Have you tried any of the heritage seeds catalogues? There are some in both New Zealand and Australia. I don't know where you are but an internet search should be able to find you a source for your home area.

16 Jan 08 Daniel (Unknown climate)

I also had salsify as a child and have been looking for 25 years and still havent come across it. I would love to find it as i have a recipe my farther gave me that i'd like to make. Can anyone help me?

22 Jan 08 Clare (Unknown climate)

Salsify seeds can be purchased from both Eden Seeds and The Italian Gardener

22 Jan 08 Chris (Unknown climate)

Kings Herbs and Seeds have also got salsify and vegetable oyster

01 Feb 08 Ben (Unknown climate)

you can also probably find it in many parks... check in wetter areas

05 Feb 08 Carolyn (Unknown climate)

We planted salsify seeds Sth Island, NZ, in early November. Does anyone know how long they take to mature!? Do we wait till the frosts arrive, as for parsnips?

23 Sep 08 (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Hi, I'm in Canberra, planted Salsify some years ago, now it grows like a weed in the garden, which is fine, since we keep eating it! You can buy them from http://www.greenharvest.com.au and http://www.edenseeds.com.au/ We peel and chop, then boil them in water, with lemon juice and salt, like artichoke hearts. After the water reduces, we add cream, and bake with a layer of cheese (au gratin style). The flavour of the roots is better before the plant starts to make its flower in late spring. So harvest all through the cold weather. Our early spring is still pretty chilly. But seriously, I worried about how hard it might be to germinate when we first got them, now I can't stop them from self sowing. They seem to be germinating all year round!

29 Sep 08 Tony Dowling (Australia - temperate climate)

I am originally from Invercargill New Zealand My father grows Salisfy, I remember as a kid my mother used to grate the salsify up make into patties and fry them very nice, we used to have the salsify to substitute for Bluff Oysters out of season. Yes the plant does have a resemblance to the taste of Oysters

23 Nov 08 Stephen and Sandra (New Zealand - temperate climate)

We have got the black salsify, we would like to know where to get the white salsify from. When do you plant it and how long to harvest?