goatsbeard

Goatsbeard is a common name for several species in the genus Tragopogon, most notably Tragopogon dubius (yellow goatsbeard) and Tragopogon porrifolius (purple salsify, also called oyster plant). These herbaceous plants are annual or biennial or short-lived perennials that form a rosette of long, strap-shaped leaves at ground level and produce tall flowering stalks bearing a single large composite flower head.

The flower heads resemble dandelions, typically with yellow ray florets in wild forms, while purple salsify may show a purplish or lilac tinge in its florets. After flowering, the plants form a globe-like seed head with long white to pale brown pappus, which enables wind dispersal of the seeds.

Purple salsify is cultivated for its edible root, which is long, pale, and has a delicate oyster-like flavor; it is used as a root vegetable in European cuisines. Yellow goatsbeard is less commonly consumed for food and is more often regarded as a weed or grown for ornamental purposes, though some forms have been used locally for culinary or forage reasons.

Goatsbeard is native to Europe and western Asia but has become naturalized in many temperate regions, including parts of North America and Australia. It favors open, disturbed soils, meadows, and roadsides, and can spread by seed when conditions are suitable, sometimes behaving as a weed in managed landscapes.

Cultivation notes: seeds germinate slowly; plants prefer full sun and well-drained soil. In regions where grown for culinary use, roots are typically harvested in autumn to winter. The species are generally biennial or short-lived perennials and readily reseed in favorable conditions.