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Vegetable Full Sun Regular water

Salsify

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Oyster plant -- root tastes like oysters when cooked. Hardy enough to withstand light frosts down to -10°C, salsify performs best when daytime temperatures stay between 10°C and 20°C. Give it full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist, and expect to harvest in roughly 100-150 days. A staple of kitchen gardens and allotments, it rewards even first-time growers with a generous harvest.

Harvest 100-150 days
Temp Range -10°C — 25°C
Frost Tolerant ❄

Quick Answer: How to Grow Salsify

Salsify takes 100-150 days to harvest. It grows best in 10–20°C with full sun and regular watering. Salsify is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -10°C. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Salsify in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Tolerant
📅
Harvest
100-150 days

Temperature Range

10-20°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 10–20°C Tolerates: -10–25°C
Tropical suitable: No
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Long taproot needs deep, loose soil. Flavor improves after frost. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: -10°C to 25°C
  • Optimal growing: 10°C to 20°C
  • Harvest in 100-150 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Salsify is frost-tolerant, meaning it can survive light frosts and even thrive in cooler temperatures.
  • 🌱 Salsify needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius — purple/oyster salsify; Scorzonera hispanica — black salsify or scorzonera) are root vegetables requiring deep, loose, stone-free soil to develop their long taproots. Prepare beds to at least 45 cm depth, incorporating sand and compost into heavy soils — compact or stony ground produces forked, stunted roots with no culinary value. The pH should be 6.0–7.5. Direct sow seeds in early spring (soil 10°C minimum) at 1.5 cm depth in rows 30 cm apart, thinning to 10–15 cm when seedlings have 2–3 leaves. Do not attempt to transplant — taproots establish immediately and any disturbance causes forking. Water moderately and evenly throughout the season — drought causes pithy, cracked roots. Feed sparingly with a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertiliser; excess nitrogen produces leaf growth at the expense of root development. Both are biennial but grown as annuals for root harvest.

Common Pests & Problems

Carrot fly (Psila rosae) larvae tunnel into salsify roots causing brown rot channels — use fine insect mesh over the entire row from sowing. White blister (Albugo tragopogonis) affects Tragopogon salsify, causing white pustules on leaves — rarely severe and doesn't significantly affect root quality. Slugs can damage young seedlings before they become established; apply iron phosphate pellets at sowing time. Leaf gall midge (Contarinia spp.) causes distorted, bunched leaves at the growing tip — pinch out and destroy affected tops. The primary cultural challenge is achieving the loose, deep soil structure required; in dense or rocky soil, salsify simply fails to produce usable roots regardless of care.

Harvest & Storage

Salsify roots are ready from autumn onwards when they have reached 2–3 cm in diameter and 20–30 cm in length. Flavour improves dramatically after the first autumn frosts, which convert starches to sugars — the characteristic oyster-like flavour intensifies post-frost. Loosen soil alongside the root with a fork before lifting to prevent breakage; the long, brittle roots snap easily. Salsify is one of the finest storage roots — leave in the ground over winter in mild climates (mulch with straw for protection) and harvest as needed, which preserves freshness perfectly. Alternatively, lift and store in boxes of slightly moist sand in a cool cellar at 0–5°C for up to 5 months.

Popular Varieties

Mammoth Sandwich Island is the standard variety of Tragopogon porrifolius, producing white-fleshed roots with the distinctive oyster-like flavour when cooked; the only widely available salsify cultivar in most Western seed catalogues. Scorzonera hispanica (black salsify) is technically a different species with a black-skinned, white-fleshed root that many consider finer in flavour — sweeter, creamier, and more complex than white salsify; the variety Duplex is a widely recommended selection. Russian Giant is a scorzonera selection producing particularly long, well-formed roots with very smooth skin and excellent flavour. Lange Jan is a Dutch scorzonera variety producing unusually long roots (to 40 cm) with very few side roots, ideal for easy peeling and elegant presentation.

Where to Grow Salsify

Salsify can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
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Amsterdam, NL medium
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Ankara, TR medium
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Antalya, TR medium
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Athens, GR medium
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Barcelona, ES medium
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Bari, IT medium
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Belgrade, RS medium
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Bergen, NO medium
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Berlin, DE medium
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Bilbao, ES medium
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Bologna, IT medium
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Bordeaux, FR medium
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Bratislava, SK medium
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Brussels, BE medium
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Bucharest, RO medium
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Budapest, HU medium
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Catania, IT medium
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Cologne, DE medium
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Copenhagen, DK medium
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Corfu, GR medium
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Cork, IE medium
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Dublin, IE medium
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Dubrovnik, HR medium
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Edinburgh, GB medium
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Florence, IT medium
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Frankfurt, DE medium
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Gdansk, PL medium
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Genoa, IT medium
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Glasgow, GB medium
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Gothenburg, SE medium
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Hamburg, DE medium
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Helsinki, FI medium
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Heraklion, GR medium
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Istanbul, TR medium
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Izmir, TR medium
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Krakow, PL medium
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Kyiv, UA medium
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Limassol, CY medium
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Lisbon, PT medium
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Ljubljana, SI medium
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London, GB medium
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Lyon, FR medium
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Madrid, ES medium
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Malaga, ES medium
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Marseille, FR medium
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Milan, IT medium
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Munich, DE medium
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Naples, IT medium
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Nice, FR medium
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Nicosia, CY medium
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Oslo, NO medium
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Palermo, IT medium
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Paris, FR medium
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Porto, PT medium
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Poznan, PL medium
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Prague, CZ medium
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Reykjavik, IS medium
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Riga, LV medium
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Rome, IT medium
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Seville, ES medium
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Sofia, BG medium
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Split, HR medium
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Stockholm, SE medium
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Strasbourg, FR medium
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Stuttgart, DE medium
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Tallinn, EE medium
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Thessaloniki, GR medium
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Tirana, AL medium
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Toulouse, FR medium
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Turin, IT medium
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Turku, FI medium
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Valencia, ES medium
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Valletta, MT medium
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Verona, IT medium
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Vienna, AT medium
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Vilnius, LT medium
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Warsaw, PL medium
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Zagreb, HR medium
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Zurich, CH medium
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🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
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Almaty, KZ medium
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Bali, ID medium
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Bandung, ID medium
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Bangalore, IN medium
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Bangkok, TH medium
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Beijing, CN medium
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Busan, KR medium
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Cebu, PH medium
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Chandigarh, IN medium
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Chengdu, CN medium
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Chennai, IN medium
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Chiang Mai, TH medium
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Chittagong, BD medium
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Chongqing, CN medium
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Coimbatore, IN medium
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Colombo, LK medium
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Da Nang, VN medium
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Dalian, CN medium
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Davao, PH medium
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Delhi, IN medium
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Dhaka, BD medium
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Dharan, NP medium
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Fukuoka, JP medium
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Galle, LK medium
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Guangzhou, CN medium
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Hangzhou, CN medium
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Hanoi, VN medium
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Harbin, CN medium
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Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
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Hong Kong, HK medium
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Hyderabad, IN medium
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Incheon, KR medium
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Indore, IN medium
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Islamabad, PK medium
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Jaipur, IN medium
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Jakarta, ID medium
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Jeju, KR medium
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Johor Bahru, MY medium
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Karachi, PK medium
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Kathmandu, NP medium
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Kochi, IN medium
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Kolkata, IN medium
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Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
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Kunming, CN medium
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Kyoto, JP medium
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Lahore, PK medium
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Lucknow, IN medium
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Manila, PH medium
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Mumbai, IN medium
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Nagoya, JP medium
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Nanjing, CN medium
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Nha Trang, VN medium
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Okinawa, JP medium
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Osaka, JP medium
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Pattaya, TH medium
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Penang, MY medium
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Phnom Penh, KH medium
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Pune, IN medium
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Sapporo, JP medium
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Seoul, KR medium
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Shanghai, CN medium
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Shenzhen, CN medium
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Siem Reap, KH medium
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Singapore, SG medium
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Surabaya, ID medium
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Surat, IN medium
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Taipei, TW medium
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Tashkent, UZ medium
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Tbilisi, GE medium
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Tokyo, JP medium
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Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
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Varanasi, IN medium
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Vientiane, LA medium
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Visakhapatnam, IN medium
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Wuhan, CN medium
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Xi'an, CN medium
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Xiamen, CN medium
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Yangon, MM medium
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🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
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Anchorage, US medium
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Atlanta, US medium
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Austin, US medium
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Baltimore, US medium
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Baton Rouge, US medium
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Boise, US medium
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Boston, US medium
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Bridgetown, BB medium
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Buffalo, US medium
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Calgary, CA medium
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Cancun, MX medium
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Charleston, US medium
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Charlotte, US medium
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Chattanooga, US medium
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Chicago, US medium
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Denver, US medium
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Des Moines, US medium
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Detroit, US medium
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Edmonton, CA medium
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El Paso, US medium
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Fargo, US medium
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Fresno, US medium
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Guadalajara, MX medium
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Halifax, CA medium
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Hartford, US medium
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Havana, CU medium
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Honolulu, US medium
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Houston, US medium
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Jacksonville, US medium
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Kansas City, US medium
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Kingston, JM medium
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Knoxville, US medium
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Las Vegas, US medium
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Little Rock, US medium
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Los Angeles, US medium
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Louisville, US medium
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Lubbock, US medium
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Madison, US medium
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Memphis, US medium
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Mexico City, MX medium
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Miami, US medium
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Milwaukee, US medium
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Minneapolis, US medium
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Monterrey, MX medium
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Montreal, CA medium
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Nashville, US medium
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New Orleans, US medium
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New York, US medium
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Oaxaca, MX medium
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Oklahoma City, US medium
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Omaha, US medium
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Ottawa, CA medium
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Panama City, PA medium
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Phoenix, US medium
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Pittsburgh, US medium
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Portland, US medium
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Puebla, MX medium
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Quebec City, CA medium
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Raleigh, US medium
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Richmond, US medium
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Sacramento, US medium
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Salt Lake City, US medium
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San Diego, US medium
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San Francisco, US medium
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San Jose, CR medium
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Santo Domingo, DO medium
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Saskatoon, CA medium
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Savannah, US medium
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Seattle, US medium
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Spokane, US medium
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St. Louis, US medium
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Tampa, US medium
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Toronto, CA medium
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Tucson, US medium
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Vancouver, CA medium
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Victoria, CA medium
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Winnipeg, CA medium
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🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
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Accra, GH medium
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Addis Ababa, ET medium
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Algiers, DZ medium
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Antananarivo, MG medium
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Arusha, TZ medium
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Bamako, ML medium
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Bloemfontein, ZA medium
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Cairo, EG medium
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Cape Town, ZA medium
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Casablanca, MA medium
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Dakar, SN medium
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Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
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Douala, CM medium
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Durban, ZA medium
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Entebbe, UG medium
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Fez, MA medium
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Freetown, SL medium
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Harare, ZW medium
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Johannesburg, ZA medium
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Kampala, UG medium
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Kigali, RW medium
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Kinshasa, CD medium
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Lagos, NG medium
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Libreville, GA medium
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Lilongwe, MW medium
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Lome, TG medium
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Luanda, AO medium
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Lusaka, ZM medium
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Maputo, MZ medium
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Marrakech, MA medium
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Mombasa, KE medium
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Nairobi, KE medium
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Ouagadougou, BF medium
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Port Louis, MU medium
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Pretoria, ZA medium
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Tunis, TN medium
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Windhoek, NA medium
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Zanzibar, TZ medium
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🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
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Asuncion, PY medium
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Barranquilla, CO medium
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Belem, BR medium
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Bogota, CO medium
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Brasilia, BR medium
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Buenos Aires, AR medium
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Cali, CO medium
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Campinas, BR medium
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Caracas, VE medium
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Cartagena, CO medium
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Concepcion, CL medium
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Cordoba, AR medium
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Curitiba, BR medium
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Cusco, PE medium
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Fortaleza, BR medium
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Georgetown, GY medium
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Goiania, BR medium
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Guayaquil, EC medium
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La Paz, BO medium
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Lima, PE medium
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Manaus, BR medium
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Medellin, CO medium
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Mendoza, AR medium
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Montevideo, UY medium
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Paramaribo, SR medium
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Port of Spain, TT medium
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Porto Alegre, BR medium
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Quito, EC medium
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Recife, BR medium
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Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
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Rosario, AR medium
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Salvador, BR medium
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Santa Cruz, BO medium
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Santiago, CL medium
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Sao Paulo, BR medium
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Sucre, BO medium
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Trujillo, PE medium
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Valparaiso, CL medium
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🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
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Alice Springs, AU medium
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Auckland, NZ medium
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Brisbane, AU medium
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Cairns, AU medium
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Canberra, AU medium
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Christchurch, NZ medium
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Darwin, AU medium
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Dunedin, NZ medium
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Gold Coast, AU medium
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Hamilton, NZ medium
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Hobart, AU medium
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Melbourne, AU medium
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Noumea, NC medium
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Perth, AU medium
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Suva, FJ medium
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Sydney, AU medium
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Townsville, AU medium
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Wellington, NZ medium
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🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
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Amman, JO medium
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Baghdad, IQ medium
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Beirut, LB medium
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Doha, QA medium
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Dubai, AE medium
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Erbil, IQ medium
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Jeddah, SA medium
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Kuwait City, KW medium
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Manama, BH medium
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Muscat, OM medium
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Riyadh, SA medium
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Sana'a, YE medium
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Tabriz, IR medium
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Tehran, IR medium
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Tel Aviv, IL medium
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✓

When should I plant salsify in my city?

The best time to plant salsify depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. Since salsify is frost tolerant, you can plant it before the last frost date. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow salsify in winter?

Yes, salsify is frost tolerant and can handle temperatures down to -10°C. In many climates, it can be grown through winter with some protection.

Get Salsify Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Salsify seeds and starter plants online.

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Salsify

When should I plant salsify?

The best time to plant salsify depends on your local climate. Salsify grows best in temperatures between 10°C and 20°C (can tolerate -10°C to 25°C). Salsify is frost tolerant, so it can be planted earlier in spring or later in fall. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can salsify grow in tropical climates?

Salsify is not well-suited for tropical climates. It prefers cooler conditions with temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. In tropical areas, it may bolt, fail to fruit, or suffer from heat stress. Consider growing it in cooler seasons or at higher elevations.

How long does salsify take to grow?

Salsify typically takes 100-150 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and regular watering. Long taproot needs deep, loose soil. Flavor improves after frost. Can be planted 2-3 weeks before the last expected frost, giving it a head start on the growing season. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Salsify

See the planting calendar for Salsify in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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