Western Salsify/ Oyster Root

I recently posted about waȟčázi iyéčheča or Oyster Root/Salsify (Tragopogon dubius), and what it looks like during the summer, when it’s not suitable to harvest. This picture is a different story. I harvested this plant in the spring, when it was just starting to send up its first shoots of the year. This one was

Waȟčázi Iyéčheča — Salsify in June

Waȟčázi iyéčheča, aka Salsify, aka Tragopogon dubius, seen on Pine Ridge Reservation (near Kyle, SD) in June. The Lakota name of this plant, waȟčázi iyéčheča, basically means that it looks like a dandelion. Later in the summer, when you see what looks like a giant dandelion with a fuzzy ball of seeds waiting for the