Summary ⁹

Tragopogon dubius (commonly known as yellow salsify, western salsify, western goat's-beard, wild oysterplant, yellow goat's beard, goat's beard, goatsbeard, common salsify, and salsify) is a widespread and common plant native to southern and central Europe and western Asia. It grows well in warm, protected spaces with moist soil. When cooked, the stems taste like oysters.

Botanical Information ¹⁰

Tragopogon sp. is in the family of Asters. Some common names for it are yellow salsify, goatsbeard, oyster plant, salsify, and Johnny-go-to-sleep-at-noon. There are several species of Tragopogon in the western United States. The species that is most common in our area of New Mexico is Western Salsify, or Tragopogon dubius.

Goatsbeard can be either biennial or perennial. Biennial means it grows its roots one year and then grows its flower the next year. Perennial means that it flowers every year and the plant’s roots live through the winter. Goatsbeard has a strong taproot and milky sap. The flowers are yellow in the Bosque, but they can be purple elsewhere. The seeds are 2-4 cm long, and they get dispersed by the wind.

Ecological Information ¹¹

Goatsbeard is native to Europe and Asia and was introduced in the early 1900s to America. Tragopogon species can be weeds because they can grow in all kinds of habitats, and they like full sun. They are now invasive in the United States. Goatsbeard gets pollinated by bees and flies.

Ethnobotanical Information ¹¹

Salsify is a vegetable. People usually eat the root of the Purple Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) and the young leaves are also edible.

References ¹¹

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragopogon
http://www.unomaha.edu/biodiversity/Asteraceae%20Tragopogon_dubius.htm
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/forb/tradub/all.html

About the Author ¹¹

Student author(s)*: Matthew (age 8) from Homeschool Science Coop

*The entries in this field guide have been edited by Yerba Mansa Project staff to ensure that they contain quality, fact-checked content and standardized formatting.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) José María Escolano, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/42786943@N07/4690489941
2. (c) Murray Foubister, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/mfoubister/42444610541/
3. (c) José María Escolano, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/valdelobos/6259749249/
4. (c) Andreas Rockstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/74738817@N07/42771969071/
5. (c) Andreas Rockstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/74738817@N07/35516819675/
6. (c) Andreas Rockstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/74738817@N07/28589474260/
7. (c) Andreas Rockstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/74738817@N07/34174633573/
8. (c) Andreas Rockstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/74738817@N07/27813725292/
9. Adapted by caseynm from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
10. Adapted by smiller33 from a work by (c) forestdragon, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
11. (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• African Plants - a photo guide
• Atlas of Living Australia
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Calflora
• CalPhotos
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Jepson eFlora
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• New Zealand Plant Conservation Network
• OregonFlora.org
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online

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