Purple Goat S Beard Flower

Purple goat s beard or salsify tragopogon porrifolius.
Purple goat s beard flower. Tragopogon is from the greek tragos meaning goat and pogon meaning beard. Medicinal uses have included treatment of gall bladder obstructions jaundice arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure. P7c9cc rm the flower of a purple salsify tragopogon porrifolius. Uses for goat s beard.
Astilbes make great companions when planted with other shade tolerant plants such as hellebores and hosta. There are some accounts that state it was brought to north america as a food source. As with many native plants it is easy to learn how to care for goat s beard. Interestingly plants may remain vegetative for up to 10 years before flowering.
The tolerance of this perennial for a soil ph ranging from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline gives it additional versatility. A member of the rose family it is obvious how it came by the name of goat s beard plant but the name does not describe its beauty. Interesting facts about astilbe. Goat s beard is native to europe and in the early 1900 s was possibly introduced into north america as a garden plant.
It includes the vegetable known as salsify as well as a number of common wild flowers. Purple goat s beard has ornamental edible and herbal properties and is widely introduced. Goatsbeards purple salsify scientific classification kingdom. Meanwhile its ability to grow in partial shade argues for its inclusion in woodland gardens.
Since its compound leaves are pretty even when the plant is not in flower it is a nice choice where a tall edging border plant is called for. The common name false goat s beard is given because the shape and color of the flower spray resemble a beard. Salsifies are forbs growing as bien. Handcoloured copperplate engraving after an illustration by richard duppa from his the classes and orders of the linnaean system of botany longman hurst london 1816.
It quickly found its way across canada and the u s. They are some of the few flowers that can light up even the. Type species tragopogon porrifolius l. It was named by pliny during that era.
It is also native to japan and north america. As a vegetable the plant is known as salsify or vegetable oyster the roots supposedly tasting like oysters. It is in the asteraceae family. The genus was named by linnaeus in 1753.