How to Grow Scorzonera

By the SoilCommander Editorial Team, under the guidance of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder · · How we check our facts

On this page
  1. Scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica)
  2. Soil & Growing Conditions
  3. Growth Stages
  4. Quick Facts
  5. At a Glance
  6. Harvest & Storage
  7. Diseases
  8. Pests
  9. Plan your Scorzonera planting
  10. Growing Scorzonera in another region
  11. Sources
  12. Frequently Asked Questions

Scorzonera is ready to harvest 120 days after planting.

Scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica) — perennial.

Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.

The short answer

Ready in
120 days
Site
soil pH 6–7.5
Biggest risk
White blister

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica)

A long black-skinned scorzonera root — “Scorzonera hispanica sl166” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Also known as: black salsify · 7 sources cited · Verified

Soil & Growing Conditions

A scorzonera plant growing in the ground — “Scorzonera hispanica sl12” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Scorzonera hispanica sl12” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Soil pH range

6 7.5

Span reflects genuine variation between the cited authorities, not a single agreed figure.

Growth Stages

A rosette of broad strap-shaped scorzonera leaves — “Scorzonera hispanica Wężymord czarny korzeń 2016-05-02 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Scorzonera hispanica Wężymord czarny korzeń 2016-05-02 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Stage BBCH Notes
Sowing and germination 0 Sow the freshest seed available in situ in autumn or in spring once the soil has warmed, about 1.5cm deep in rows 30cm apart, into deep stone-free soil (First Tunnels, GrowVeg).
Thinning and establishment 1 Thin seedlings to about 10-15cm apart; a sunny spot in moist but well-drained sandy or loamy soil gives the longest, straightest roots (First Tunnels).
Root bulking 4 A slow crop needing roughly 150-180 days from sowing to harvest; keep the bed weed-free while the roots thicken (First Tunnels).
Harvest and overwintering 4 Lift from about November after the first frosts, which improve the flavour. Roots are brittle: sink a fork about 15cm from the plant and ease it back and forth on both sides before lifting. Roots keep in the ground through December to February, or store in boxes of damp sand (GrowVeg, First Tunnels).

Quick Facts

A long black-skinned scorzonera root — “Scorzonera hispanica sl166” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Scorzonera hispanica sl166” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Factor Value
Soil pH 6 - 7.5
Time to harvest 120-120 days
Drainage Deep, fine-textured, well-drained
Lifecycle perennial
Edible parts root, leaves, flower buds

At a Glance

A long black-skinned scorzonera root — “Scorzonera hispanica sl166” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Scorzonera hispanica sl166” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scorzonera hispanica Scorzonera White blister (Asterace… Aphids DISEASES PESTS

Harvest & Storage

A bunch of freshly lifted raw scorzonera roots — “Schwarzwurzeln roh” by Benreis is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Schwarzwurzeln roh” by Benreis is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to pick: USU: "requires about a 120-day growing season"; harvest roots "in fall (or early spring after overwintering)"; roots "very hardy and are not damaged by freezing so roots can be dug, topped, and stored or left in the garden until needed". RHS notes ideal conditions for long roots are a sunny spot in moist but well-drained sandy or loamy soil.

Storage

Roots very hardy, can be left in ground over winter or dug, topped and stored

Diseases

Bright yellow scorzonera flowers — “Scorzonera hispanica sl31” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Scorzonera hispanica sl31” by Stefan.lefnaer is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
White blister (Asteraceae: salsify/scorzonera/sunflower)

Pustula tragopogonis (syn. Albugo tragopogonis)

Pests

A rosette of broad strap-shaped scorzonera leaves — “Scorzonera hispanica Wężymord czarny korzeń 2016-05-02 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Scorzonera hispanica Wężymord czarny korzeń 2016-05-02 01” by Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Aphididae (various spp.)

Plan your Scorzonera planting

Timing for Scorzonera follows soil temperature and frost, not the calendar date. The Global vegetable planting calendar explains the method. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.

Growing Scorzonera in another region

Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.

Sources

These 2 sources are specific to this region. The full list of 7 sources behind this guide (American Phytopathological Society (Plant Disease journal), First Tunnels, GBIF and others) is in the references of our UK guide to scorzonera; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does scorzonera take to grow?

Typically 120 days, depending on cultivar and growing conditions.

What soil pH does scorzonera need?

A pH of about 6–7.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.

What problems affect scorzonera?

Our data links 1 disease and 1 pest to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

This page gives you the thresholds; the planner turns them into your own calendar. It works from what you can observe and measure in your garden rather than from dates written for somebody else’s latitude.

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SoilCommander Editorial Team — under the guidance of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder

Every growing guide is checked against RHS, USDA Cooperative Extension, and other named horticultural authorities before publishing. How we check our facts.

How this guide is put together

The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against international horticultural research and extension sources. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.

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Last verified 2026-09-02

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