Salsify stranger

... or Tragopogon pratensis if you prefer. I have just started doing some light gardening now that my injured foot is getting back to normal. How surprised was I to find this salsify growing in the shade of the apple tree. This has never appeared before but there is a meadow nearby in which it grows. Its flower only blooms in the morning so I need to try to catch it at the right time. You can see that I couldn't get a clean shot - too many other plants around it. I had a go at putting white card behind it (very carefully as it's a bit like a dandelion), tilting the camera and the result is in the extra, converted to mono for Monday. 
I'm sure I read years ago that it was introduced to Britain by the Roman soldiers when we were invaded as it was grown as a vegetable. Indeed, there are plenty of recipes for different varieties.