There are many names for this weed like Goatsbeard, Star of Jerusalem, Yellow Salsify, etc., I do like the name Salsify. It has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it? It is hard to identify until it flowers. It is a biennial which means it doesn’t flower until the second year. The first year, it has a grassy appearance, but if you pull a leaf off it will have a milky substance. The flowers can be mistaken for dandelions except they are much larger.
A young Western Salsify plant on February 20 in Windsor, Colorado.
Picture taken April 27, in Windsor, Colorado.
Notice the large taproot, oozing the milky substance after removal.
Western Salsify Flower
Western Salsify Seeds (Notice how much larger the seeds are and not as tightly formed as common dandelion seeds.)
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