Salsify, Mammoth Island (Tragopogon porrifolius)

An heirloom root vegetable grown for its cream-colored carrot-like root that tastes similar to oysters. Originally native to the Mediterranean, this variety dates to about 1880.

To grow: Plant in loose, sandy soil in full sun in early spring. Sow seeds one-half-inch deep, in rows eighteen to twenty-four inches apart. Keep soil moist until seeds germinate, in about two to three weeks. Dig roots in late fall.