‘Tragopogon’ is derived from the Greek ‘trágos’, meaning ‘goat’, and ‘pogón’, meaning ‘beard’. It owes its name to the inflorescence that, when still closed, resembles a goat’s beard. The name ‘pratensis’, on the other hand, comes from the Latin ‘prátum’, meaning meadow, the environment in which the plant usually grows.
Perennial, herbaceous plant with milky, slightly hairy sap. It has sparsely branched, striated, hollow stems, swollen at the nodes, and vertical taproot. It has a two-year growth cycle: the first year it develops the basal leaves, the second year the flower scape. It is between 30 and 80 cm high.
Both the roots and the leaves are used in cooking. The roots are the most valuable part, they have a delicate and slightly sweet flavour, an effect due to the inulin. The tender leaves can be enjoyed raw to add flavour to salads, or steamed or stir-fried together with the roots as a side dish or as an ingredient in soups and omelettes.
Boccioli di barba di becco al vapore