can you eat yucca flowers

Definitely try this recipe. Yucca is really poisonous for them. While you can obviously place the flowers on the top of the cake, don’t overlook the sides. People describe it as resembling that of artichoke, but I don’t agree. Yucca flowers make an interesting and tasty addition to salads, soups, and other dishes. Eating yucca flowers is not so strange as it may seem. Details Y. elephantipes is a large, upright shrub or small tree with several trunks growing from near ground level, sparsely branched. here I must say best to describe the flavor? Many species also bear edible parts, including fruits, seeds, flowers, flowering stems, and more rarely roots. I happen to be pretty good with tempura batter, and the addition of the mesquite did not screw things up, thankfully. You can leave the yucca flowers in tact as a garnish for the top of the salad, or toss the petals with the rest of the greens and herbs. That’s the funny thing about foraging: it’s hard to see something unless you’ve already seen it once. Larger forms gradually loose the lower leaves to expose a trunk. Before I knew you could eat the flowers or fruit. Why not use all mesquite flour? It’s possible to eat Yucca blooms raw, but if you do, you must examine them carefully because they may be full of Yucca moth larvae as well as ants and other local insects. Thanks! I hope I am not too late reading this information to try eating the blooms. If you cannot get mesquite flour, which is available online or at Whole Foods, you can skip it and use regular flour instead. When you are ready to fry, mix in the egg yolk and then the ice cold sparkling water. Fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping once with the chopstick. I might, if I lived in the Southwest, where yucca is everywhere and some, like the century plant, sport stalks 30 feet high. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Never tried it though. It founds this article, which. You can find your link here: http://newmexicoenchantment.com/yucca-recipes.html Thank you for posting this! Because the fruit is green, you can't depend on its color to know when it's ripe. Omelets, frittatas, huevos rancheros, eggs, yucca, tomatoes and chiles, etc. The result was airy, crispy and warm. Once established, it’s unlikely plants will need watering. For you survivalists, the yucca provides more than food. Waiting. It's an impressive plant even if you don't want to eat it. Inside are many black flat seeds, which are the source for baby yuccas. My Native American aunt showed me how to cut them, clean and cook them. Very interesting! Everywhere I went, from California to the desert Southwest to Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida, I saw yucca in bloom. Crack open the pods and gather the seeds. Young short flower stalks long before they blossom are also edible. Depending on your location, banana yucca fruit ripens in early to mid-fall. If you do, let me know how it turns out. Yucca (Yucca spp.) Place them on paper towel to dry, so it can absorb any excess moisture. Yucca is an evergreen, perennial plant with spine-tipped leaves that grow in a rosette around a thick central stem. Renee: I’ve never tried it. Feed once a year with a controlled-release feed applied in spring. You can also try gardening with less injurious alternatives. South Jersey has a few desert loving plants. It is just recently that I have learned that there are some flowers considered edible and eaten regularly for quite some time now. Cutting low tips off the plants helps protect children and pets from accidents. Once carefully examined and cleaned, you’re sure to find Yucca petals are very tasty. Most of the plant is edible, actually, and many people eat that asparagus stalk. Thank you! "Yucca flowers, meanwhile, have a mild sweet taste to them. References. Such a pretty sight. They are about one inch (2.5 cm.) Intervention is a must; otherwise, you might lose your dog. Yucca even grows wild in NYC. A. Can Yucca kill you? in other varieties and don’t always cook down well. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. I recently made some yucca flower dobladas, which are similar to enchiladas. When you are poked just touching a yucca, it's hard to imagine anything wanting to eat one. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. That beautiful white flower that grows on top of the Yucca Tree is edible and it's delicious! It is considered as one of the most non-destructive ways of eating the yucca fruit as it doesn’t affect the growth of the plant. Once I saw that, I knew it would soon be time. Some tough little pests like to munch on this perennial plant that thrives best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 11. It’s not. I just made these tonight and they are amazing! Cooking is pretty easy, and less intimidating than you might think. You can serve it with hot sauce, or by itself. The recipe looks scrumptious, Hank. I’m curious–would using rice flour change the taste or texture? All of the non-woody parts of most yuccas are edible, but the blooms in particular are quite tasty, making an interesting addition to salads, soups, and other dishes. Thanks for that thorough explanation about the Yucca flowers. Used to harvest one or two each year when had the ranch. had all the information I needed on how to prepare and use yucca flowers. To learn how to harvest your own yucca, read on! It’s made from ground, dried bean pods from this desert tree. Then I potted the pods on another plant and pounced. Once you’ve boiled the flowers, you can use them as you would raw yucca, such as in salads, or incorporate them in other recipes that call for edible flowers, such as soups and stews. That way, you won’t waste your time picking a bunch of blooms that are too bitter to be eaten. If you garden or landscape with yucca plants, take the time to trim off the spiked tips which could damage eyes and ears. I just collected a bunch of yucca flowers this morning. If you’re harvesting a large number of yucca blooms, it helps to have a bag that you can cut the flowers directly into it so you don’t drop any. Just like the health benefits of yucca flower, we can actually consume this beautiful flower of perennial plants from Mexico. The plants usually have tough, evergreen leaves that are shaped like swords and grow on tall, fibrous stalks. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Outdoors, yucca plants planted in the ground need very little care and attention. Their cooperative now has a hammer mill which makes it possible to make enough to sell. If you aren’t a fan of deep fried foods, you can also add yucca petals to your favorite stir fry recipe. Once I spotted the flower stalk, I began seeing them everywhere. Though you can eat the flowers and fruits of yucca when they are raw, the stems contain saponins, which can be toxic and have a soapy taste. Can the flowers be dehydrates for use later? Once they are all in the oil, use the chopstick to dislodge them from the bottom of the pot if the flowers have stuck there. I love mesquite pods, btw. We have them everywhere here in norhteast Mexico. Delicious. Most of the plant is edible, actually, and many people eat that asparagus stalk. Used raw, the blossoms make lovely garnishes for salads, desserts, and drinks. Consult your doctor before trying yucca. Synonyms Yucca guatemalensis. I had harvested the flowers this morning to make a Flower Essence following Dr. Bach’s method. The closest flavor substitute for a yucca flower would be the inner layer of leaves on an artichoke -- the yellow leaves you can eat whole. If any park rangers read this, I only took flowers that the morning rain had knocked off the plants. The flavor is warm, chocolatey and spicy. long and have a hard, dry husk. You can create a striking look by pressing them all along the edges. A common way to prepare a yuca is to make oven-baked yuca fries or chunks. It grows slowly but well and this year there are beautiful blooms. Raw plant material is extremely hard on the stomach. I was living in Vermont at the time but I tried it in my garden there figuring that if it grew in Pittsburgh it would grow in the Connecticut River Valley. So gather ye yucca while ye may…, Filed Under: Culinary Experiments, Foraging, How-To (DIY stuff), Recipe. They seem to like each other very much. Apparently you can also eat the asparagus like stalk before it flowers, but I've never tried that, and you can also eat their fruit, but I've never seen the fruit growing locally. My mother, a California girl, loved the yucca so although I grew up in Pennsylvania and never saw one I knew what they were. I grew U, my parents/grand parents planting pumpkins just to harvest the big flowers. This recipe may sound weird, and, well, maybe it is, but the structure of it is easy: It's a tempura batter over a flower petal, fried for a couple minutes in hot oil. It will absorb the excess oil, so the yucca isn’t too greasy. I don’t know about other reasons. Family Asparagaceae . Where can I find yucca flowers and fruit? However, it is extremely important for you to wear gloves in order to protect your hands from spikes. They’re downright fibrous (you can floss with the damned things!) You can also use squash blossoms here, too. The pods with seeds and all are made into a flour. Alternatively, you could mix the flowers in egg dishes, like scrambled eggs or huevos rancheros. I enjoyed this recipe so much I added a link to it from my website. The yucca blossoms had that hit of artichoke leaf in the center, but I missed it in a few bites — next time I will stack 3 yucca petals together before I dip them in the batter, to get more of the yucca taste. So I decided to tempura-fry my yucca petals, with a twist: Because yucca lives alongside mesquite, I would add mesquite flour to the tempura batter. The yucca flowers will look best on a cake with frosting that is a different color, so there’s some contrast between the white blooms and the icing. A light salad dressing, such as a simple vinaigrette, works best with this type of salad. Here's a recipe I have used: Fried Yucca Petals: 12-15 flower stalk from yucca plants 1 tablespoon shortening 2 medium onions, chopped 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped 1 cup water Salt and Pepper Delicious scrambled with onions, tomatoes and eggs. Like most vegetables, yucca is considered very healthy for humans. Yucca trees grow in the southwest of U.S and in some desert-like areas in other parts of the world. When she died I saw some growing on the U. of Pgh campus and found a local nursery that sold it. I’m eating Yucca glauca in Colorado so maybe the reproductive organs of our flowers are less bitter than others… but do you happen to know whether it’s for culinary or safety reasons that some authors recommend not eating them? And I agree, most of this type involve eggs and some cheese. I grew up in Italy eating zucchini flowers stuffed with Parmesan all summer long….so this sounded perfect. Eat a single petal, and wait approximately 20 minutes to see if you experience any side effects, such as an upset stomach or irritated throat. Can I cut the yucca flower for display, and if I do how long will it last? You can also peel first. Eat a single petal, and wait approximately 20 minutes to see if you experience any side effects, such as an upset stomach or irritated throat. The stems, leaf bases, flowers, emerging stalks as well as the fruit of most types of yucca are edible. It’s some pretty awesome stuff. No, dogs can’t eat yucca as a food or as a treat. I’m in PA and mine just bloomed! I live out in New Mexico and they really are all over, I’ll have to give this a try soon! A huge swath of yucca is in glorious bloom in the Tehachapi Mountains north of Los Angeles right now; I passed them on the road Thursday. But I love the idea of using the two together…. Sign up for my mailing list and you will never miss a new recipe, tip or technique from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. I first had the flowers in New Mexico. Some parts of yucca plants can cause diarrhea, which can be quite dangerous in a desert survival situation as it exacerbates dehydration. Yucca can still boost health in people with diabetes. (by the way ‘century plants’ are the Agave… different than the Yucca but tend to grow close together over here where I live…. When I was done making the essence I was left with a good amount of flowers still crispy and vibrant…I thought I’d toss them in with my salad or something but then I found this blog and it sounded so good! Drain on the rack and finish with the rest of the flowers. Drop them into the hot oil one at a time, maybe 4-5 stacks per batch. Eating yucca flowers is not so strange as it may seem. If you want to eat yucca flowers raw, mix them into salads to add a little color and sweetness. Answered by shelley on April 29, 2015 Certified Expert . Learn more... Yucca, also known as Soapweed, Spanish Bayonet, and other popular names, grows in deserts throughout the world. Then, not too long ago, the little yucca plants each sent up the world’s largest asparagus stalk. Yucca petals are really good eating. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. You can also eat the petals, flowers or buds of the plant in the field. When I moved to Maine I brought the Yucca with me. I need to post a recipe…. Hey there. Oh. Once the seed pods on yucca are dry, they are ready to collect. Grab three yucca petals together in a stack, and dip them into the batter. Mix in 1 cup sparkling water and 1 egg yolk, and you’ll have enough batter for the petals from 12 to 15 yucca flowers. Cecilia: The whole shebang, pod and seeds together. Native to hot and dry regions, they can be found in rocky deserts, badlands, prairies, grasslands, and mountainous areas of the Americas and even in the Caribbean, in … These flowers are what you eat. Will try to find some. Most of the Native American tribes who lived around yucca used the plant extensively: They ate the flowers, stalks and fruits, used the fibrous, spiky leaves for cordage, and mashed the pulpy root with water for soap. I had a nefarious plan that involved hot oil. More than 25 species of Yucca live in the arid regions of the southwest. I’m so delighted (: I love this! etc. So, what’s in yucca that makes it really poisonous for dogs? References to yucca root as food often arise from confusion with the similarly pronounced, but botanically unrelated, yuca, also called cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta). If you don’t want to use the yucca as a garnish but still want to give your beverages a more decorative look, you can also freeze the petals inside ice cubes, and use them to keep your drinks cold. % of people told us that this article helped them. How to eat it: You can prepare it in the same way you would a baked potato, though it’s important to remove the skin first. I find the smell so unbelievably intoxicating that I’ll have a sniff and then stare into space for about ten minutes. However, there is little scientific evidence to support the claim that yucca root helps with those aliments. You’ll find the yucca plant in the Southern and Western parts of the United States, including New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and California. There are lots of recipes for yucca blossoms in eggs, soups, stews, and my favorite: yucca blossom quesadillas. Serve immediately with hot sauce. I hope you don’t mind. Yum!! When the flowers are first starting to bloom, there may be a greenish tint to their petals. I live on a farm and we have horses and cattle. yucca revechonii desert plant. Set out a large wire rack with some paper towels underneath to drain the finished yucca petals. They do taste fine. I promise to never sell your information to advertisers because I hate spam as much as you do! For a basic tempura batter, combine ½ cup flour, ½ cup cornstarch, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. There is evidence that … Yuca is the plant from which tapioca flour and pearls are derived. The root part of it is the part that people most commonly eat. Thanks! Remove lower leaves as they turn brown. Is it possible to freeze or can yucca pedals? Most of the plant is edible, actually, and many people eat that asparagus stalk. We think we know everything, but there are so many things right under our noses that we never see. If you do, boil the flowers before you eat them in a recipe or as a garnish. Aids diabetes treatment. The stems or trunks of yucca store carbohydrates in chemicals called saponins, which are toxic, not to mention taste of soap. But in general, the flower petals — again, you only eat the petals — are firm, slightly crunchy, and taste like a combination of a green bean and the innermost leaves of an artichoke. It’s got it all: Crunch, unusual flavor, wild ingredients, and, let’s face it, it’s fried. Cut into sections, boil 30 minutes in plenty of water, peel. Your email address will not be published. Ron . Ever eat mesquite flour? Description: A yucca plant is a type of shrub known for its tough, sword-shaped leaves and large white flowers. If you have allergies or asthma, it may not be a good idea to eat any type of edible flowers. They are ‘just’ blooming here (near Bisbee, Az) Very tasty indeed! Identify yucca plants. I see them all over the Rio Grand Valley where I leave my Hoosier home for the winter. I am recently interested with this type of recipes and this sure can be on my list. Depending on where you are, you will need to go out and pillage some yucca flowers soon. You can use garden shears to clip the flowers off the plant, but the stems aren’t usually that thick so regular scissors can work well too. I love how the sweetness of the mesquite flour sets off the flavor of the yucca blossom. Your email address will not be published. Eating yucca flowers is not so strange as it may seem. They’re all tasty, but the first time you try the flowers, prepare them simply, so you can get acquainted with their flavor. We eat yucca flowers but we boil some of the saponins out first. In Mexico and Central America, it’s common to mix yucca petals into scrambled eggs or fried eggs dishes, such as huevos rancheros. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The flower stalks of banana yucca are three to five feet tall and produce a dense spike of large, bright white flowers. It’s best to introduce yucca and other edible flowers into your diet gradually, so start slowly. I met a man who lived on a reservation out near Hemet- he said that they’d dig up a yucca root, make a barbecue pit in the ground, and roast it underground all night, and that it was delicious. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Eat-Yucca-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Eat-Yucca-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Eat-Yucca-Step-1.jpg\/aid151183-v4-728px-Eat-Yucca-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"