Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), Japanese maple (Acer japonicum) and golden maple (Acer shirasawanum) are often cultivated as exotic ornamental trees in this country. However, there are numerous other species, but almost all of them are non-toxic.
In Japan, the leaves of the non-toxic Japanese maple are even eaten raw
In Japan, leaves and shoots are even eaten
Traditionally, the maple tree, regardless of the type and variety, is used worldwide for food: Maple syrup is known from North America, for example, but people in Europe have also been making a sugary syrup from the bleeding sap of native maple species for many centuries. In addition, the young leaves and shoots were either eaten raw, cooked or pickled as pickled vegetables - a procedure that is still common in some regions of Japan.
Beware of red maple
Although the Japanese maple, no matter what type and variety, is not poisonous, it can be overgrown by a certain poisonous fungus. However, this can only be found on the bark of red maples, but not on Japanese maples that also have red leaves.
tips
Young shoots and seedlings can be collected in March-April. The quite sweet-tasting flowers are also suitable for consumption.