Edible Plants
Edible as well as ornamental!
Can we eat these?
One of the most commonly asked questions here at Manor Nursery is whether a plant is safe to eat. Usually the question refers to berries or fruits, with a specific view to protecting children or animals from potential harm.
This page takes the question one step further ... many garden plants are not only edible, but delicious ... and may be considered culinary delicacies in other parts of the world!
So as not to cause confusion, the subject of poisonous plants will be covered on another page. Everything mentioned here has been tried and tasted by our slightly eccentric outdoor plant person ... if it does not get the thumbs up from her, it won't get a mention from us!
Berries and Fruits
Everyone knows and loves Apples and Pears, Strawberries, Grapes and Figs.
How about Ugni berries? Myrtus ugni, otherwise known as Ugni molinae ... a favourite fruit in its native Chile, it was also reputed to be a favourite of Queen Victoria. Once grown commercially in Cornwall, it fell out of favour with a change of monarch. But it's back with a vengeance, and has joined blueberries as one of the great superfruits to cure all ills. There is also a very pretty pink-variegated form.
Myrtle ... all the berries from the genus Myrtus (including Luma and Lophomyrtus) are edible and delicious. The berries of Myrtus communis (Common Myrtle) are dried and used in stews and casseroles in Turkey and other areas of the Middle East.
Berberis berries ... "quien come calafate, vuelve" ... so they say in Patagonia. He who eats the berries of Berberis, will return. I did, and I hope I will one day! They are particularly referring to Berberis darwinii, but any of the Barberries are edible. You can buy them ready dried in health food shops, but why not dry your own?
Mahonia ... again, all Mahonia berries are edible, (just ask any crow!) but the juicy black berries of Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape) are especially enjoyed by the First Peoples of the western USA.
Cornus officinalis ... Cornelian Cherry. The small red fruits are sweet and delicious.
Arbutus unedo ... Strawberry Tree. There is a rumour around that the strawberry shaped fruits are not edible. Wrong! In Portugal, they are used to make a wicked firewater called Madronho. The word "unedo" means "you only eat one". Opinion is divided ... some people say it only takes one to get you hooked. Others feel that one is quite enough! The taste is divinely perfumed ... the texture is a bit gritty. Either way, they won't kill you.
Arctostaphylos ... Bearberry. Hmm. Although not poisonous, it wasn't overly palatable. Best left to the bears ...
Flowers are lovely!
Summer salads cry out for a splash of colour! Nasturtiums, Pot Marigolds (Calendula), Violets, and the bold orange flowers of Hemerocallis (Day Lilies) are all fun floral additions.
Did you realize ... the flowers of many herbs are edible? Rocket, coriander, mint, thyme and rosemary ... the pretty flower heads from chives give an intense burst of onion flavour if tossed in with a green salad.
Enjoy Chinese food? The starry white flowers of Jasmine (especially Jasminum sambac) impart a delicate fragrance to their refreshing green tea. Wimbledon Week? The bright blue flowers of Borage add the perfect finishing touch to a classic Pimms ...
Stuffed courgette or any of the squash flowers are a favourite meal in Greece and the other Mediterranean countries, where their hot climate means such flowers are plentiful. You need to make sure you keep enough flowers to ensure your vegetable crop ...
Candied flowers ... the pretty little flowers of Violets and Mimosa are often preserved in crystallized sugar syrup, and used as tasty cake decorations.
Essence of Rose is an essential in Turkish cuisine ... think Turkish Delight ...
Shoots, roots and leaves ...
We all use herbs in some form or fashion, and we all have our favorites. But what about using garden plants as vegetables?
Dolmadakia ... stuffed grape vine leaves ... a favourite in the Mediterranean. Gives your grape vine a dual purpose ... it's always a good idea to pick off some of the excess foliage anyway, to allow sunlight to reach the ripening grapes. Recipes for Dolmadakia and Louloudakia (stuffed flowers) can be supplied on request!
Plants in the Heuchera family are generally considered edible, and can be tossed in with other greens for a mixed salad. The leaves are typically too bitter to eat on their own, but add a tangy kick to an otherwise bland salad.
Stir fries ... all parts of the Hemerocallis plant (Day Lilies) are edible. We've already mentioned the flowers ... the rest of the plant is delicious as a vegetable, and is frequently used in Oriental stir fry cooking. Cut sections of stem and leaf, and use them much like leeks.
But it's just a weed ...
Dandelion flowers have a very distinctive flavour. They're quite sweet when picked just as they open, and their golden petals go perfectly in a rustic bowl of mixed leaves. Young dandelion buds sauteed in butter taste similar to mushrooms. Or try bittercress, that pesky little weed that seems to arrive as a 'free sample' with many garden centre purchases. Not here, of course ... ;-)
Pics and Links ...
Click on Edible Plants to see some of the weird and wonderful bush tucker veggies the garden can provide!