Scorzonera
Family Compositae (or Asteraceae)
Scorzonera hispanica, scorzonera (S. hispanica 1), is a perennial herb, usually grown as an annual or biennial, with a rosette of simple lanceolate leaves and yellow flower heads (S. hispanica 2) borne on long stems, op to 1 m tall.
Use
The scorzonera is of Central and South European origin, and is grown for its long cylindrical and fleshy taproot (S. hispanica 3), which contains the polysaccharide inulin and has a distinctive sweet flavour. Scorzonera, also called black salsify, has a black skinned and white flesh with a distinct sweet flavour, and is eaten as a boiled vegetable. It is also used as a substitute for coffee. Young leaves are sometimes eaten in salads.