Ferula longifolia
Fisch.
(c) Sergey Mayorov, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sergey Mayorov
What to Eat
Edible parts: Root
Root - cooked. The long root is aromatic and esteemed as a vegetable.
Where to Find It
Europe - S. Russia.
Coming Soon
How to Identify
Ferula longifolia is a PERENNIAL. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
How to Grow
We have almost no information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in this country. Other members of the genus succeeds in most soils according to one report whilst other reports say that they require a deep fertile soil in a sunny position. Plants have a long taproot and are intolerant of root disturbance. They should be planted into their final positions as soon as possible.
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as the seed is ripe in a greenhouse in autumn. Otherwise sow in April in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Plant them out into their permanent positions whilst still small because the plants dislike root disturbance. Give the plants a protective mulch for at least their first winter outdoors. Division in autumn. This may be inadvisable due to the plants dislike of root disturbance.
