The large yellow flowers of the zucchini shine even from afar. Each plant bears both male and female flowers. The males appear first, recognizable by their long stalks. The fruits form on the female flowers.

You can recognize them by the short stem and the large ovary under the petals.

pollination of the flowers

The zucchini flowers are fertilized by bees. If too few female flowers are pollinated, for example in cold or damp weather, fewer fruits will form. You can help with pollination by following these steps:

  • pluck male flowers
  • detach petals
  • brush the stamens over the stigma of the female flower

Removing the female petals

If fertilization was successful, the ovary swells and the flower withers. Now it's time to carefully loosen the petals, otherwise they will provide a breeding ground for fungal diseases.

Zucchini flowers as a delicacy

Zucchini blossoms are not only beautiful to look at, they also taste great. They are the perfect addition to meat and vegetarian dishes. The light taste also goes well with fish. There are numerous delicious dishes that can be conjured up from zucchini flowers. Here are a few recipe ideas:

  • Zucchini flowers stuffed with turkey breast, cooked in the oven
  • Zucchini flowers in wine batter
  • Fried zucchini blossoms filled with cream cheese
  • Fish fillet wrapped in zucchini flowers
  • Pasta with zucchini flower sauce
  • and much more.

Just experiment a little!

tips and tricks

The male flowers, which are also a real eye-catcher as a table decoration, are used for cooking. They are harvested just before the flowers open.

Category:

Vegetable garden