Some plants in the garden produce edible flowers. We just mostly don't know. There's nothing wrong with just admiring them. But with such an aromatic herb as shrub basil, curiosity is already great. Can you top the taste experience of the leaves?

The beautiful flowers of the shrub basil are also edible

Are the flowers of this herb edible?

Even with optimal care, the perennial shrub basil flowers more modestly than other basil varieties. But it also has some beautiful labial flowers every year from early summer to autumn. Depending on the variety, they are white, pink or purple.

The green leaves of the shrub basil are edible and have an intense aroma. There is no need to say more about it, because this herb has long been popular as a spicy cooking ingredient. The flowers are also edible, but not many people know that. They are therefore given less attention in the kitchen.

The tart aroma of the flowers

The taste of the flowers is described as tart. This clearly distinguishes them from the rather mild leaves. The bitter note of the flowers does not appeal to every connoisseur to the same extent. That is why these flowers are rarely used in the kitchen.

The more bloomed the flowers are, the firmer or harder they become. Therefore, use delicate flowers in the bud stage or those that have just opened.

tips

Pickle a few freshly bloomed basil flowers in vinegar, which will add an interesting flavor over time. It can then be used for salad dressings.

Not her taste?

If you don't like the tart taste, you can admire the flowers on the plant or use them to decorate dishes. If your plant is not a hybrid variety, you can leave the flowers on the bush until the seeds are ready. From this you can propagate new plants in the spring if necessary.

Refrain from flowering

If you have no use for edible basil flowers, consider cutting off the flower buds as early as possible. This is the explanation:

  • Blossoming consumes energy
  • New growth of the leaves stops during this time
  • consequently there is less to harvest

If the shrub is large and nicely branched, it will also have plenty of green leaves. In this case, you can also choose to leave the flowers on the plant as a visual highlight.

Category:

Vegetable garden