[cathangirl]

Has anyone grown Black Salsify, please?  If so, I'd like to know what sort of flavour to expect.
Thank you.
cathangirl

[gregmcalister]

I'm growing it this year as well but this is the first time so I have no idea what it's going to taste like. Hopefully I like it

[JulesJ]

Do you mean scorzonera? I'm growing some for the first time in a barrel.

[cathangirl]

Yes, JulesJ, that's one of the four names.
 

[Janeymiddlewife]

I'm growing Salsify "Sandwich Island" to try - I thought Scorzonera was a different "species"??, albeit related?  :blink:

[Swing Swang]

Not very yum yum to my taste.

Gave a sackfull to my neighbour in Feb. Most of it ended up on his compost heap.

SS

[Stripey_cat]

I'm growing Salsify "Sandwich Island" to try - I thought Scorzonera was a different "species"??, albeit related?  :blink:

Yes, but Black Salsify is a variant common name for scorzonera.  They're fairly closely related (different genera), and quite similar in use - the main difference as a vegetable is that salsify skin is pale, while scorzonera skin is dark.

[jennyb]

first time for me too.

what would you compare it to, swing swang? swede or turnip? or a more distinctive flavour thats individual like jerusalem artichokes?

[Swing Swang]

JennyB,

Difficult to describe, probably a bit like a sweed with some of the sweetness of a parsnip.

I'd have gladly given you some to try!

Regards,

SS

[jennyb]

hopefully buy the end of the year i will have my own to try!

[Greengirl]

Don't think they taste like swede at all, but it's a number of years since I grew them. They have a mild, unusual, pleasant taste but are a b****r to peel. The flesh turns brown (like apples) very quickly if I remember right & are best peeled after cooking. I quite like them, but wouldn't bother growing them again.

[lefrog]

the easiest way to prep em is to wash em well, peel em quickly and drop em in water with lemon juice, it will stop em from turning brown.

[Prastio]

I gather that these have long, narrow taproots which would not suit my soil.  Can you successfully grow them in containers?

[Greengirl]

That's all they are really - just a long, thin, taproot, much thinner than parsnips & longer than carrots, or parsnips. You could grow them in a deep container if you wanted, I suppose. The flowers are meant to be pretty I think (or that could be salsiy not scorzonera which is the black skinned form) so you could always let them go to seed.

[Prastio]

In that case, I  have no hope of growing this unless I can persuade the plants to grow sideways!