Tragopogon pratensis

Tragopogon pratensis is a biennial plant in the family Asteraceae. It flowers between June and October.
It is distributed across Europe and North America, commonly growing in fields. The root and buds are edible, and it has a milky latex.

Description

The plant grows up to tall. The lower leaves are 10 to 30 cm long, lanceolate, keeled lengthwise, grey-green, pointed, hairless, with a white midrib. The upper leaves are shorter and more erect. It is the only United Kingdom dandelion-type flower with grasslike leaves.
On display between June and October, the flower heads are yellow and wide. They only open in the morning sunshine, hence the name 'Jack go to bed at noon'.
The achenes are rough, long beaked pappus radiating outwards interwoven like a spider's web of fine white side hairs.

Similar species

It differs from viper's-grass in that viper's-grass has short, pale green bracts, whereas in goat's-beard they are long and pointed.

Distribution and habitat

It is distributed across Europe and North America, commonly growing in fields and on roadsides. It is found in North America from southern Ontario to Massachusetts; most of England; on the eastern and southern edges of Scotland; and central Ireland but not the coastal edges.

Uses

The roots can be boiled and eaten like potatoes. The fresh stems and buds can be cooked like asparagus and the young leaves can be eaten raw.