Salsify – Not For Georgia

Q: My husband and I visited Shaker Village in Kentucky and had dinner there. One of the side dishes was a delicious salsify au gratin. I have not been able to find salsify anywhere in Atlanta. Is it possible to grow salsify in the South?

A: Salsify, Tragopogon porrifolius, is a biennial root vegetable with grass-like leaves. The carrot-like root is harvested and roasted or boiled for the dinner table. Its taste gives rise to another name: oyster plant. It grows easily in the Northeast and in Europe but I suspect that summer heat in Georgia would severely stress the plant. I’d love to hear back if you experiment with it. Seeds can be found online.