Scorzonera - A Healing Carrot

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Despite its frost resistance and relative unpretentiousness, this wonderful vegetable is a rare guest in our gardens. But in vain! After all, this is one of the few root crops in which both tops and roots are edible! In addition, such black carrots have many medicinal qualities and are especially good for diabetic nutrition. So, get acquainted - scorzonera

Savior from snakes, bugs and mic

In culture, this perennial plant from the Asteraceae family has existed for about 200 years. Among the people of Scorzonera, it is better known as a sweet or black root, and is most often called black carrots, due to the earthy color of its oblong root. In the scientific community, the vegetable is called the goat and it is successfully grown in southern Europe - in its real homeland. Unlike France, Germany, Italy, Spain, America, East Asian countries, where scorzonera is cultivated on an industrial scale, in Russia it is not yet so popular.

From the Italian word "scozone" means "poisonous snake". It is no coincidence that it formed the basis of the name of the vegetable: since ancient times, scorzonera was famous for its properties to heal from snake bites, and also helped with plague, measles, furunculosis, burns, and stomach problems. They believed that this plant could scare off bedbugs and mice. In Russia, it was used for quite a long time only for the preparation of a useful potion. Closer to the 19th and 20th centuries, Russians still appreciated the taste of black carrots. Nowadays, among almost 200 species of scorzonera, the most popular among us are: Spanish goat (Scorzonera hispanica), and among 20 varieties - Black Liza, Black Peter, Russian giant, etc.

Both tops and roots are goo

In good conditions for growth, the roots of the scorpion grow up to 35 cm in length with a diameter of 3-4 cm. One of these "giants" can weigh up to 80-100g. Under the dark brown, almost black and rather dense skin of the root, similar to carrots, there is a whole storehouse of vitamins and nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, sugars, ascorbic acid, carotene, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, inulin, vitamins E, PP, B1, B2, etc.

But no less useful and, perhaps, outwardly more attractive is the upper part of the scorzonera. Its branchy and dense juicy green stem (110-120cm) is abundantly covered with leaves, among which reed, yellow flowers resembling dandelions look cute. There are up to 40 of them per plant. They bloom all summer and smell so nice! Something vanilla and slightly chocolate. By the beginning of autumn, narrow, long whitish sticks of seeds gradually ripen.

The harvest depends on the soil

Perhaps many gardeners hesitate to acquire a goat, fearing its Mediterranean effeminacy. However, surprisingly, the scorzonera is not at all afraid of the harsh Russian climate. It is important to appease it with good soil, which it is advisable to prepare already in the fall. The bed for black carrots is well loosened and fertilized with organic matter, potassium, phosphorus. If the soil is too dense, then the roots run the risk of growing crooked and forked. Therefore, it is better to choose breathable, clay-sandy, non-acidic soils. Adding equal parts of sand and compost to the soil has a beneficial effect on productivity.

Scorzonera is sown both in early spring and early autumn for wintering. In the latter case, ready-made carrots can be harvested next spring. Before sowing, the seeds are usually soaked for a day, and then sown into grooves 2-3 cm deep at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other. The row spacing should be quite wide - from 20-30cm. With regular watering, sprouts usually hatch after a week or ten days. If there is not enough moisture, then the seedlings can be seen in two weeks. After, like a regular carrot, the goat is thinned out by 10-12 cm.

Be careful with your roots

They take care of the scorchonera in almost the same way as for ordinary root crops: they are regularly and abundantly watered, poured, loosened, supported with mineral fertilizers throughout the summer. An important point is that it is necessary to timely get rid of the arrows or their peduncles, which the plant lets out more often during spring sowing. When the seedlings of scorzonera are about four months old, you can harvest. It is advisable to do this in dry weather, very carefully pulling out the "carrots", trying not to damage them. "Wounded" root crops are not suitable for storage - they need to be used as food faster.

For the seeds to ripen, 3-4 well-developed scorchones are left in the garden, while providing for their protection from birds, which strive to feast on large and tasty seeds. They store the crop like an ordinary carrot: in a cool basement in a box with wet sand. The later the skorzonera are collected for the winter, the better - right down to the frozen ground. In southern latitudes, some gardeners boldly leave black carrots to winter in the soil.

The greens and flowers of the plant are great for making summer salads, light soups and even main courses. The root, sweetish, reminiscent of both peanuts and asparagus, can be safely eaten raw, peeled, slightly doused with boiling water. It is no less good and boiled, fried and dried. The inulin it contains is excellent for people with diabetes, indigestion, anemia, and even those suffering from cancer.

Perhaps, outwardly, the scorzonera loses a little to the usual carrot, but in terms of the content of nutrients and the original taste of the glasses, it earns much more. Try and you tame this useful, beautiful and tasty plant!