Now in May, wild garlic is in full bloom, adorning the surroundings with its delicate star-shaped flowers. Many wonder the same thing: is it still okay to eat wild garlic once it has started blooming? The answer might surprise you! While the younger leaves that grow before flowering are often prized for their strong aroma, wild garlic can still be utilized in various ways even after it blooms, as long as you know what to consider. In this post, you will learn more about it.
- Which parts of wild garlic are still edible after flowering
- How to use them wisely in the kitchen
- The risk of confusion is now particularly high
Is wild garlic still edible after flowering?
Wild garlic blooms in spring, not just May, usually in the middle April AND Junedepending on the location and climatic conditions. But can you still eat it? In short: Yes, wild garlic can still be consumed during and after flowering. After flowering, wild garlic leaves lose some of their flavor and can become tougher. The flowers and buds, however, are a delicacy! Not only are they edible, but they also bring a delicate hint of garlic to your dishes.
What can you eat?
- Flowers: The star-shaped white flowers of wild garlic are not only beautiful to look at, but also edible. They have a slightly garlicky flavor and are ideal as an edible decoration or as a flavoring in salads and other dishes.
- Flower buds: Before the flowers fully open, the buds are a real delicacy. They have a more intense flavor than flowers and can be used in a similar way to capers
Interesting facts about wild garlic in our paperback
In our little paperback”Wild garlic – wild pleasure“(available here), we have summarized everything you need to know about wild garlic. How you collect it, what plants you can confuse it with and how you can grow it yourself in the garden.
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Preserving lovage in July – this method is better than freezing!Recipes with wild garlic after flowering
Wild garlic flower pesto
Ingredients:
- A handful of wild garlic flowers
- 50 g of toasted pine nuts
- 50 g of grated parmesan
- 150 ml of olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
- Wash the wild garlic flowers thoroughly and dry them.
- Put the flowers in the blender together with the pine nuts, parmesan and a little salt and pepper.
- Mix everything roughly, slowly adding the olive oil until a homogeneous mixture is formed.
- Season the pesto and serve it with pasta or as a spread.
Confidently identify wild herbs and medicinal plants
Are you looking for an identification book that also contains helpful tips for collecting and great tips for use in the witch’s kitchen and medicine cabinet? Then you should take a look at our self-developed book “With wild herbs and medicinal plants all year round“(available here). This herb book is very special because we not only report on local medicinal and wild herbs, but you will also find many impressions of our work with herbs in nature and many insights into our garden.
Marinated wild garlic flower buds
Ingredients:
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Are rowanberries edible in November? Here’s how you can use the fruits of mountain ash after the first frost- A handful of wild garlic flower buds
- 100 ml of white wine vinegar
- 50 ml of water
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- Spices of your choice (e.g. mustard seeds, peppercorns)
Preparation:
- Thoroughly wash the wild garlic flower buds and place them in a sterilized preserving jar.
- In a saucepan, bring the white wine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices to the boil.
- Pour the hot liquid over the flower buds so that they are completely covered.
- Seal the jar and leave the buds to infuse for at least a week before enjoying them.
What ingredients are in wild garlic flowers?
As for the ingredients, similar compounds to those in the leaves are present in the flowers, but their concentration can vary. Wild garlic flowers contain:
- Allicin: This is a sulfur-containing compound released when the plant is crushed and is responsible for the characteristic garlic odor. Allicin is present in smaller quantities in the flowers than in the leaves.
- Vitamins: Wild garlic flowers contain vitamin C, but in a lower concentration than the leaves.
- Minerals: Like the leaves, the flowers contain minerals, including iron and magnesium, but the exact composition and concentration can vary.
- Flavonoids and other secondary plant substances: These may be present in different concentrations in the flowers compared to the leaves and contribute to the health-promoting properties.
While wild garlic flowers are edible and offer health benefits, they are typically not as nutrient-dense as the leaves. Their charm lies more in the aesthetic and flavor contribution to the dishes.
Our magazine about wild herbs
Do you already know ours? Magazine of the Cantina delle Erbe (available here). There we would like to introduce you to wild herbs and natural life. Every season has its special wild plants. This is why the seasons guide us in creation. In the spring issue we focus on plants that are particularly good for us after the long winter.
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Which varieties are edible and what you need to pay attention toThe world of wild herbs
Follow the world of wild herbs on our other channels. For example, do you already know ours? YouTube channel “Herb cellar”? You will find many instructional videos there. Just click on one of the links below and take a look! Of course everything is completely free!
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