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

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

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

🌎 North America (78 cities)

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

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

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

🌎 South America (39 cities)

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

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

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

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

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

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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