[3] As is indicated by its binomial name, it is generally thought to have spread to the rest of Europe from Spain, but the first mention of the vegetable by a Western writer came from Leonhard Rauwolf, who reported seeing scorzonera at the market of Aleppo in Syria, in 1575.

[3]: 323  Based on this, it was often claimed that the name scorzonera derives from the Old French word scorzon meaning snake (or "adder" to be exact).

Scorzonera must be an italian transliteration of escurçonera, explained by the long Catalan presence in Sardinia and southern Italy, influencing local languages between the 14th and 18th centuries.

[vague] Black salsify is considered nutritious: it contains proteins, fats, asparagine, choline, laevulin, as well as minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, and vitamins A, B1, E and C. It also contains the polysaccharide inulin, conferring a mild sweetness that is suitable for diabetics.

[3] Inulin, used as a dietary fibre, may have a positive effect on the digestive system, blood circulation, kidneys and inhibit cancerous processes.

[7] Various parts of the plant can be consumed, including roots, leafy shoots, and open flowers, either cooked or raw.

[8] The thick black skin of the salsify root is usually considered inedible and can be removed either prior to or after boiling.

If the skin is removed prior to boiling, the peeled root should be immediately immersed in water mixed with vinegar or lemon juice, in order to prevent discolouring.

[11][14] Breeding objectives are reduced susceptibility to bolting, low percentage of roots with cavities, improved suitability for mechanical sowing and harvesting, as well as for industrial processing.

[10] Generally, the species can grow in a variety of conditions and has potential to be grown as a cash crop in less favorable, marginal environments in temperate zones.

[16][3] Harvesting takes place from November to March, with the optimum time for high quality being end of December.

[10] Entire roots will keep fresh all winter if stored in a cool dark place, due to their robust black corky skin.

[10] Black salsify is, however, very hardy and frost-resistant[17] and will grow well in most cool-temperate climates and usually yield 15–20 tonnes of roots per hectare.

In British gardens it is common to profit from its perennial character by leaving it in the ground until its roots have grown to sufficient size for harvesting; this can take two years.