Edible flowers and leaves. What is the real yield? Description and features of growing Chekalkin nut
Everyone or almost everyone loves nuts ... Few decide to grow on their site. The walnut has tasty nuts, but it grows slowly, not handsome, but, having matured, it will shade half the site. There are hazelnuts and almonds. And here is the problem. It is pointless to plant one bush, but for a large number- there is no place. And here Chekalkin rowan nut will help you out. Unpretentious, effective, can grow everywhere - drought-resistant and frost-resistant, and maximum height, which he rarely reaches - four meters.
In culture since the 70s of the XIX century. But in Russia for some reason it is little known and is even considered exotic. Chekalkin walnut (grown from seeds) blooms in the third year of life. At this moment, he is unusually effective. Star flowers appear in May. Large, white, with a red or yellow center, collected in long (up to 25 centimeters) clusters. They literally cover the whole tree, have a pleasant aroma. Flowering lasts more than two weeks. But even after flowering, the nut does not lose its decorative effect. Remain beautiful leaves, similar to mountain ash, dark green above, light below. In place of flowers, seed pods up to seven centimeters long appear, in color and shape reminiscent of still green walnuts. They sit from 7 to 17 round nuts. Harvest ripens in September. The peel cracks - and here they are: dark brown with a thin peel, they can be clicked like seeds. Try to make sure that the nuts do not spill out onto the ground. There are many who want to eat. They can be eaten raw. But dried or fried - tastier. Very similar to almonds. The nucleoli contain more than 60% fat, trace elements, iodine, selenium, calcium, magnesium.
Thanks to a bizarrely curved trunk, thick rowan foliage, beautiful flowers - he is a born soloist. But a separate group is also good.
How to grow this delicious handsome? Propagated by seeds and cuttings. Root cuttings are harvested in autumn (after leaf fall) and in spring (before bud break). We dig a trench around the plant, carefully cut off part of the horses. The resulting lashes are cut into cuttings 5-10 centimeters long. We store autumn ones until spring in the basement in wet sand. Spring planted immediately.
But most gardeners use seeds. They are easier to get. Usual packing - three seeds in a package. Many complain: all three did not rise, and if they did, they died at a young age. Nuance: part of the seedlings almost always dies after 1 - 1.5 months. So to be sure, get at least six nuts. The Chekalkin nut has a strong tap root - the plant often dies during transplantation. Therefore, in the spring (April) we sow immediately on permanent place. And the place should be sunny, well-drained - the nut does not tolerate stagnant water. In its historical homeland - in China, it grows on stony, organic-poor soils. So there are no requirements for special fertility. The seeds were soaked for seven days and sown to a depth of five centimeters. Water the seedlings moderately. It can be fed with universal mineral fertilizer of the "Aelita-universal" type. Kids grow quickly - over the summer 40 centimeters. With such growth, it leaves for the winter. You can not hide - harsh winters we don't have. In the second year forms a bush. On the third blooms and bears fruit. For an adult walnut, the care is simple: a little urea in the spring, watering in the first half of summer once a week, then without watering.
Briefly: Seed collection April 2015. Description
Xanthoceras Sorbifolium, Rowan-leaved Xanthoceras or Chekalkin nut
- an unusually spectacular flowering tree or multi-stemmed lush shrub native to the northern regions of China and Korea, belongs to the Sapindaceae family. Some dendrologists consider it one of the most beautiful flowering shrubs. It is used as a tapeworm on a hillock, the edge of a retaining wall, in creating mountain landscapes. The entire growing season looks very aesthetically pleasing.
Xanthoceras is a deciduous tree, growing up to 4 m in height. The trunk is intricately curved, the crown forms a thick cap of leaves similar in shape to mountain ash, which is reflected in the name. It blooms in May simultaneously with lilacs, until the foliage is completely dissolved, with large, 25 cm, brushes of large white flowers with a red throat, dotting the entire tree. Extraordinarily effective. After flowering, it forms round boxes, the size of a walnut, from which, when ripe and cracking, from 5 to 17 pieces are poured out. round dark brown nuts resembling small hazelnuts with a thin skin. 
Nuts are edible both raw and roasted and contain up to 64% fat.
Xanthoceras rowanberry. Sowing seeds:
It is recommended to sow immediately in a permanent place, since the nut gives a strong taproot, which makes it difficult to further successful transplant. Soak the seeds overnight warm water with the addition of growth stimulants, sown in a nutrient neutral substrate with the addition of river sand and inert baking powder, after moistening it. Root option: 70% universal potting soil + 30% river sand, vermiculite, perlite. The seeds are deepened by 2 cm, covered with a film to create a greenhouse effect and germinated in a bright, warm place with room temperature. Germination period from 2 weeks to 1.5 months.
Chekalkin Nut. Care and maintenance:
Location: The bright scattered sun should be shaded during the hot hours received, it tolerates partial shade. Keep away from strong wind and drafts.
Watering: It does not tolerate stagnant water, especially at a young age, needs good drainage, a sunny warm place for planting. Overdrying is preferable to overflowing.
Humidity: Not demanding.
Temperature: It tolerates a drop in temperature without damage to -20ºС, during the dormant period it needs a cool content of + 8-10ºС, if it is not possible to provide coolness, put it on the coldest window sill. May completely or partially shed foliage. AT summer time perfectly transfers a heat, it is recommended to take out on a balcony, a terrace, a garden.
The soil: Nutritious, neutral, but tolerates calcareous soils well. The pot should be taken deep, in accordance with the shape and size of the root rod system. The bottom of the container must be laid good layer drainage.
Top dressing: During the growing season from April to September universal fertilizer With great content phosphorus and potassium, according to the manufacturer's instructions. AT winter time the nut is not fertilized.
Pruning: It tolerates pruning, which is carried out in February.
Diseases and pests: It is not affected by pests, with excessive watering, fungal diseases are possible.
Today I want to tell you about another curious plant, the seeds of which were brought to me from China. This is a Chekalkin nut, or rowan nut. It was sent to me by a friend of mine who worked in China for several years, learned the language, and stayed in Shanghai.
I planted nuts directly into the ground in April, without doing any stratification (there was no time). I did not have any literature about this exotic. But, on reflection, I, as it turned out later, correctly judged that if at home, in China, it grew on stones, then I would not add humus to it, but put expanded clay on the bottom of the hole so that excess water would drain, and add a jar wood ash. After two weeks, I was surprised that all five nuts sprouted! Then, when the seedlings had already grown by 10 centimeters, I made a mistake and decided to plant them. And three seedlings died during transplantation. So for myself, I concluded - you need to plant a nut immediately in a permanent place, or at home through seedlings in peat pot.
Over the summer, the seedlings grew by 35-40 cm. The leaves are very similar to mountain ash, complex, pinnate. Since mid-July, I have not watered them so that the trunks are well woody. Overwintered without any loss. In the second year, a bush began to form. We had water shortages, not enough for watering, but it was green. Apparently, he learned to extract water himself.
The first time the Chekalkin walnut blossomed in the third year. He had clusters of white flowers at the ends of the shoots, flowers 3-4 cm in diameter, star-shaped with a pleasant aroma. And in September, the fruits ripened. Nuts of five to seven pieces are enclosed in a box the size of a large walnut, and they themselves are the size of small hazelnuts, have a very thin peel and a sweet core. Now it is a small compact tree about 2.5 m high. It grows almost without care, I throw a handful of urea under it in the spring, then from half a bucket of chalk to trunk circle, I water in the first half of summer once a week, in the second half I don’t water it anymore. Twice a season I do it to him foliar top dressing- I spray on the leaves with a solution of humate with trace elements. Chekalkin nut bears fruit abundantly every year. It is necessary to monitor and collect in time so that the nuts do not all wake up on the ground - otherwise here, on earth, they immediately become a tasty prey for mice, crows and other living creatures. harvested nuts we dry it and fry it in a frying pan for food: you can’t tell it from almonds. And it takes up little space, and bears fruit in the third year! This miracle propagates with nuts, which can be planted immediately into the ground in spring, before winter it can also be planted, only the landing site must be laid with prickly branches - from mice and from crows, so that they do not eat the nuts.
Who wants to create a walnut garden along with a walnut, you can grow a rowan nut. Five nuts - 150 rubles. In addition, now I have seeds that are unique in their precocity and their palatability cucumber varieties Murom miracle, “fruity” sweet tomatoes: Raspberry Marmalade, Irish liquor, Crimean delicacy, Kumato Chocolate, willow-tea seeds - very healthy tea, tastes better than purchased, meadowsweet, meadowsweet - cleaning vessels, joints. Subscribe to our youtube video channel
Natalya Zakomurnaya
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I sincerely thank all the readers of our newspaper for their keen interest in new plants, and especially in walnut crops. We have already met with the unique Korenovsky walnut, with the royal nut - Thin-shell almonds, with low almonds - handsome spring garden. Many gardeners grow and feel great hazelnuts - red-leaved and green-leaved.
I also had a chance to try chilim - a water chestnut growing in a pond, brought from the Penza region. With success about eight years ago, I grew peanuts on a free plot ( peanut) varieties Goodwin, chufu or ground almonds. We can no longer talk about the benefits of all nuts - everyone knows that in terms of calories, protein content, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, nuts are not inferior to meat, milk and other valuable food products.
Nut from a friend from China
Talking to you, I noted that nuts want to have everything, but the area land plot often does not allow growing powerful and tall trees such as Manchurian walnut, gray walnut and walnut tall varieties. And no one wants to wait for fruiting for 10 years. Today I want to tell you about another curious plant, the seeds of which were brought to me from China. This is Chekalkin walnut or rowan nut. It was sent to me by a friend of mine who worked in China for several years, learned the language, and stayed in Shanghai.
The Chinese are very practical people. Since there are very few good lands suitable for traditional farming (rice, wheat, vegetables) in the country, they gradually occupy all the inconveniences with unpretentious useful plants. And, including, on the foothills, on stony soils poor in organic matter, they grow almonds, dogwood, Chinese shadberry, Chekalkin walnut. That's who we should learn from! Everything that can be eaten is grown on plantations and delivered to consumers. All these plants almost do not require watering, are content with poor soils and are of great benefit to man.
Walnut growing on rocks
I planted nuts directly into the ground in April, without doing any stratification (there was no time). I did not have any literature about this exotic. But, on reflection, I, as it turned out later, correctly judged that if at home, in China, it grew on stones, then I would not add humus to it (it is not known how it will react to it), but I will put expanded clay on the bottom of the hole to drain excess water and add a jar of wood ash.
After two weeks, I was surprised that all five nuts sprouted! Then, when the seedlings had already grown by 10 centimeters, I made a mistake and decided to plant them. And three seedlings died during transplantation. So for myself, I concluded - you need to plant a nut immediately in a permanent place or at home through seedlings in a peat pot, so as not to injure the roots once again.
Chekalkina nuts
Over the summer, the seedling grew by 35-40 cm. The leaves are very similar to mountain ash, complex, pinnate. As always, since mid-July, I have not watered it so that the trunk becomes a little woody. For the winter, I covered it with branches, spruce branches with a layer of 30 cm. They overwintered without any loss. In the second year, a bush began to form. We had water shortages, not enough for irrigation, and it was green. Apparently, he learned to extract water himself.
The first time the Chekalkin walnut blossomed in the third year. He had clusters of white flowers at the ends of the shoots, flowers 3-4 cm in diameter, star-shaped with a pleasant aroma. And in September, the fruits ripened. Nuts of 5-7 pieces are enclosed in a box the size of a large walnut, and they themselves are the size of small hazelnuts, have a very thin peel and a sweet core. The core of the rowan nut contains a lot of fat - up to 60%, trace elements, iodine, selenium, calcium, magnesium, cobalt.
Now this is a small compact tree 2.5 m high, it grows almost without care, I throw a handful of urea under it in the spring, then from half a bucket of chalk to the near-trunk circle, I water it once a week in the first half of summer, in the second half I don’t water it anymore. Twice a season I do foliar top dressing for him - I spray a solution of humate with trace elements on the leaves. Chekalkin nut bears fruit abundantly. It is necessary to monitor and collect in time so that the nuts do not all wake up on the ground - otherwise here, on earth, they immediately become a tasty prey for mice and other living creatures. We dry the collected nuts and fry them in a frying pan for food. You can't tell from almonds. And it takes up little space, and bears fruit in the third year!
This miracle propagates with nuts, which can be planted immediately in the ground, in the spring. Who wants to create such a compact walnut garden - along with walnut Korenovsky and almonds, you can grow rowan nut. I can send you nuts.
You can contact me with any questions by phone: 8-917-632-13-28 or write to me at: 432008, Ulyanovsk, PO box 201.
Natalya Petrovna
ZAKOMURNAYA
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I’ll make a reservation right away - we don’t have a garden in our garden (sorry for the pun). And here we will talk only about perennial plants. I have nothing against gourd blossoms, quinoa leaves, chicory shoots, artichoke heads, young starburst greens, and the like. Nothing against ... except that all these plants are juveniles. All vegetables (and other “ruderals” = weeds) need fertile, loose, constantly moist soil... Which they need to prepare annually... They need to be regularly renewed... And most importantly, annuals and juveniles do not tolerate competition (need in compulsory weeding) and are almost incapable of creating long-term communities.
Simply put - one-two-year-old vegetables are too laborious and unstable without regular care. And on our heavy clay (and with our abundance of precipitation), weeds reach a meter height by May ... In nature, they occupy temporarily free niches or occupy places with periodically disturbed soil, where there is no competition from perennial plants. I'm not against the garden and vegetables... both "normal" and non-traditional... very tasty and healthy... just here it's a little different.
We're talking about perennials here. O perennial herbs, about trees, lianas and shrubs ... About what is planted once, gives an "unusual" (and off-season) harvest for several years. Sometimes for many years. Yes, not immediately. Yes, care is still required (for the harvest to be tangible). In the first year or two, care is simply necessary ... But when the seedlings take root, care becomes mini-no-small. Pruning (once a year), two or three cuttings of grass nearby, annual mulching with any organic matter, watering in a severe drought (throw the hose twice during the summer), and ... harvesting. And most importantly, even if you completely “abandon” care, there will be some kind of harvest (most likely) ... and the plants will not die! For this to be so, it is very important to choose and place the plants correctly, based on the conditions of your garden (climate, soil, light, relief).
And I’ll make a reservation, the article describes only those plants that have shown themselves well in the conditions of the foothill part of the Krasnodar Territory. Naturally, a lot can also grow where winters are colder and summers are drier ... Moreover, something (from what is described below) feels “there” much better than in our “almost subtropics”.
So, what gives a real crop of edible leaves and flowers? What kind perennials can be a worthy alternative to vegetables? Not spices / seasonings / a pinch in tea / decorate a salad / surprise guests / show off on Instagram, but just like that - an alternative to vegetables?
Grape
Southerners are well aware that not only fruits are edible in Grapes, but also young shoots, inflorescences, leaves. Yes, and "non-southerners" probably tried dolma at least once. There is nothing special to write about him, information on agricultural technology (as well as recipes for using leaves) is easy to find.
It is important to consider the following: shoots and leaves should be clean (from dust and chemicals), juicy and young (ideally - after a short pruning). Finished growth and rough will spoil your whole impression ... The taste is nothing special, but nothing unpleasant either. Grass-grass, pleasant sourness. Large young grape leaves completely replace kale.
It is worth pointing out that nutritional properties all types and hybrids of grapes are similar. With the same success as Vitisvinifera, you can use the widely grown Amur grapes (Vitisamurensis), Labruska grapes (Vitislabrusca, "Isabella") and others ... The last two species are more winter-hardy and resistant to many pathogens, them (and not only them) were repeatedly used in hybridization, therefore, all grape varieties are “mestizos”.
Hibiscus
Perhaps the most fruitful and interesting as a "vegetable" is the shrubby Syrian Hibiscus (Hibiscussyriacus). It is widely grown in the gardens of the South of Russia, Central Asia, Moldova and Ukraine. The winter hardiness zone is approximately 5, it takes quite a long and warm summer... Prefers well-moistened places, photophilous, undemanding to the soil, rarely affected by pests and diseases. The height of the bush is usually 3 meters (sometimes up to 5 m), the diameter is usually about 2 meters (up to 6 m). Numerous ornamental varieties Hibiscus Syriac with different colors and flower size. There are also terry. Here they are the most "vegetable", especially those that bloom for a long time (sometimes more than 2 months).
The taste of flowers (or rather, buds, they are juicier and there are no insects yet) is quite soft, pleasant, the texture is crispy, a slight slimy aftertaste ... there is a pleasant nutty aftertaste ... in general - very similar to leafy salads. Yields, size and consistency of buds vary significantly by variety.
Yes, in addition to flowers, you can eat young leaves and tops of young shoots in spring. Moreover, this applies to all Hibiscus, including herbaceous species, which are more often cultivated in regions with more severe winters.
Flowering in some terry varieties of Syrian Hibiscus lasts from late June to mid-September ... the spring greens at this time have already coarsened / faded, and their buds are just “in theme”. The yield is very decent, you can pick up a cup of buds from an adult bush. At a time. And this is every other day / every day, for 2 months. As an addition to the diet, two or three bushes (even for a large family) are more than enough. Unless, of course, you are rabbits.
Klekachka ("Klykachka", "Jonjoli")
AT southern regions Russia (mainly in the mountains of the Caucasus) grows wildly Pinnate Klekachka (Staphyleapinnata) and Colchis Klekachka (Staphyleacolchica). Both are in the Red Book. In the botanical gardens of the European part, there are several more American and East Asian species, as well as hybrids between them. All of them are quite close to each other, winter-hardy (at least USDA zone 4), successfully bloom and bear fruit in both capitals.
Klekachki are long-lived, rather tall (about 3, less often up to 5 meters) and wide (4-5 in diameter, less often up to 8 meters) shrubs. For undergrowth plants, they are very drought-resistant, not very demanding on soils (they cannot endure only swamping upper layers), are very responsive to care. They can develop normally both in the sun and under a tree canopy (including, with sufficient moisture, under the crowns of Walnut). In the shade, flowering is not so plentiful, but the leaves remain tender for a little longer. The period of active growth in Klekachek is rather short, the shoots ripen by the beginning of summer. root system powerful, branched, superficial. Klekachki do not give root shoots; they reproduce perfectly by seeds ( autumn sowing) and near-stem offspring. Special pruning is not required, sanitary is tolerated normally. Pests and diseases are not strongly affected. The flowers have pleasant aroma, willingly visited by bees, flowering bushes very decorative (no worse than weigel, action, mock oranges, etc.).
For food (in the Caucasus - for a long time) they use blooming young leaves, young tops of shoots, buds (dzhondzholi) and flowers. AT fresh the taste is quite pleasant, delicate, slightly spicy (reminiscent of watercress). In the garden, the yield is high. What is especially valuable, Klekachki give a harvest from the beginning to the end of spring, when vitamins are especially needed ... Fruit-nuts (the size of a pea) are also edible, but there are relatively few of them, they cannot be compared with the yield of “classic” nut-bearing ones. Flower brushes of Klekaczek are a delicacy . It is easy and pleasant to collect them... Indispensable for salads. Suitable for pickling and marinating (these are the same “jonjoli”).
In culture, Klekachki are very, very rare, it is not clear why ... Occasionally they are found in botanical gardens and among amateurs rare plants. There are no plantations at all ... The most valuable plants, very promising for many regions of Russia (including the Middle Strip, southern Siberia and the Far East) and adjacent countries. Farmers and restaurateurs, a...
Nettle
In Russia (and throughout Eurasia) is widespread (and used everywhere for food) Stinging nettle (Urticadioica). Everyone famous plant(for many - "weed"), but it is not specially grown, collecting greens from wild plants. And in vain they do not grow ...
In the garden (with minimal care) Nettle is very productive, reaches 2 meters in height, gives 3-4 cuttings of greenery per year. Prefers rich (and better - very rich in organic matter), moist (but not too waterlogged) soils. It grows well both in the sun and in partial shade (including under the crowns of Nut). It propagates very easily by dividing rhizomes (rhizomes grow laterally on loose soils up to 40 cm), gives self-seeding, on rich soils it is very durable, responsive to mulching, and successfully competes with weeds.
It grows very early (in our conditions - from the end of winter), resistant to return frost, which allows you to do very early distillation greens, covering the plantation with a film. Chilled shoots are stored for two to three days. With regular cuts, the tops of the shoots do not coarsen (in moist partial shade) until mid-summer.
The nutritional use of Nettle is very diverse. I send you to the Internet for recipes ... Personally, I really like lightly fried nettles (crush, add a LOT of oil, a little salt and spices ... fry for just a minute, until dark ... mmm ... you can pour melange - you get an omelette) . Do you still buy pale slimy lettuce in spring?
Xanthoceras ("Chekalkin nut" or "jackal nut").
The North Sino-Korean shrub, Xanthoceras Sorbifolium, is even rarer in Russian gardens than Klekachki ...
Much of what was said above about jonjoli can be repeated here word for word ... edible flowers and young leaves ... very spectacular and abundant flowering ... flowering periods ... edible nuts (size of small hazelnuts, taste of raw chestnuts or peanuts) ... winter hardiness (3-4 winter hardiness zone, bears fruit in southern Siberia) and resistance to return frosts ... short period of shoot growth ... dimensions ... Much, but not all.
Xanthoceras is a plant of a continental or monsoon climate with a dry cold winter, in our "warm-humid conditions" he is not very comfortable. Therefore, even adult plants of the Chekalkin Nut can die unexpectedly in the spring. Not from frost, no... and not from a return frost in March. From fungal or bacterial infections that develop in non-freezing soil, immunity from which this plant has not developed. So, if you get seedlings or seeds, find them the most ventilated, drained and dry place (we are talking about the North-West Caucasus). And reseed periodically, trying to select the most adapted plants. For a guarantee.
True, there is a whole story with the seed reproduction of Xanthoceras ... The dormancy of the seeds is shallow, they do not require stratification, they are not afraid of drying out during storage. So it makes sense to sow them not too early in spring (or even early summer) in warm soil. But even if shoots have appeared, it is too early to rejoice. Firstly, a quarter (or even a good half) of seedlings is not green, but ... white. Such plants do not contain chlorophyll and do not live long (on food supplies from the seed). It is better to remove them immediately so as not to provoke the development of various rots, which very easily damage Xanthoceras seedlings in wet spring weather. I had a case when out of 100 seeds sown, all 100 sprouted, but only 2 plants survived until the summer ... You can sow both in a permanent place and in pots (high). There is a greenhouse - you can put the pot there, on the very sunny place, and in the summer, without disturbing the coma, land in the garden. AT room conditions seedlings feel much worse.
And the rest of the "agricultural technology" is simple. Do not allow weeds to grow (especially while the plants are young), occasionally mulch, if necessary, water ... It is categorically not recommended to replant Xanthoceras plants, as well as to loosen the soil under them in our conditions. Prefers well-lit places. Yes, Xanthoceras is considered the "king" among flowering shrubs... And it really is.
In general, Chekalkin Nut is worth growing here. Let there be nuts not every year (flowers and ovaries do not like spring dampness) ... But to the north and east (for example, in the Volga region or in the Black Earth region) he will be much more comfortable! Not to mention the southern regions of Siberia and the Far East, where it comes from ... And vice versa, all attempts to grow Xanthoceras in the humid subtropics (Sochi) ended in failure. I brought both seeds and plants there in containers ... The result is zero. Who there complains about the bad climate?
Daylily ("Day Lily", "Krasodnev")
The Russian name "krasodnev" (like the Latin Hemerocallis) alludes to the lifespan of an individual flower. Yesterday there was a bud, one day (or night) it bloomed, tomorrow it has withered ... Fortunately, there are a lot of flowers and they bloom gradually. The flowering period of daylilies is from a week to a month. Accordingly, the collection and eating of all the buds (today) will not affect the flowering in any way (the day after tomorrow). This is the answer to "... how can you eat such beauty."
All species of the genus Daylily are herbaceous perennials native to Eastern Siberia and Far East(from Japan to Altai). Thanks to its unpretentiousness, bright bloom and longevity (!) are very widespread in the gardens and parks of Eurasia and America. Numerous hybrid varieties different terms flowering and various colors ... Surely, at least one Daylily grows in your garden. Not in your flower garden, but in the neighbor's ... But at home, in China, Daylilies are ordinary vegetable plants! It is called "Vegetable of yellow flowers".
I will not dwell on agricultural technology, there is a lot of information on the cultivation of these most popular plants on the Internet and in horticultural literature. I will only note longevity (up to half a century without a transplant), preference for partial shade (in our south) and relative moisture-loving.
Almost all parts of the Daylily are used for food ... from fleshy roots and young leaves to buds and flowers. But we prefer buds. It is easy to collect, there are no insects inside (unlike flowers), it is more convenient to cut, the taste is juicier. I note that the Early Daylily and L. Middendorfas are the most winter-hardy (growing in the wild to Yakutia) and bloom much earlier than most other species and hybrid varieties ... But in the latter, the buds are noticeably larger ... And yet ... the taste of buds in different types and varieties are very different ... some are tasty, and some are bitter or have a specific aftertaste ... most often, the weaker the aroma of the flowers, the tastier the buds. Varieties with double flowers, naturally, have more "fleshy" buds.
Daylily buds are suitable for salad (instead of leaf lettuce, cucumbers and zucchini), they can be stewed, fried, marinated, dried, candied ... Is it still a pity to eat buds or flowers?
Linden
In all species of Linden (and there are many of them), inflorescences are traditionally used for food. They are dried to be used later for brewing linden tea. But few people know that not only flowers are edible in Lipa, but also young shoots with tender leaves mi.
Linden prefers deep fertile soils, quite hygrophilous.
Growing linden for flowering and for producing "salad" shoots is radically different. Abundant flowering begins at about 8 years of age in trees that grow freely in a lighted area, without radical pruning. Formative pruning (formation of the skeleton) is quite acceptable and even desirable. In order for the tree to bloom profusely and at the same time it was convenient to collect flowers, it is better to form flattened palmette-type crowns.
And when growing linden “for greenery”, it is necessary to plant it in partial shade and cut the tree short every few years (or annually). In this case, the shoots will be tender, the leaves will be large, and the yield will be high. Linden tolerates short pruning perfectly, however, it grows bushy in this case.
Harvesting begins in early spring (if the buds are "thinned out") and continues until mid-summer (subject to short pruning in winter). Young green Linden - worthy alternative spinach.
Robinia ("White locust")
Robinia pseudoacacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) is another well-known and widespread tree, the fragrant inflorescences of which are wonderful. food product. Inflorescences are used for salads, for main courses, fried in batter, candied ... Blooms in late spring. There are varieties of Robinia that bloom continuously throughout the summer.
For the convenience of collecting inflorescences, a sparse planting in lighted places and the formation of a wide, low crown are necessary (with free growth, the trees are quite tall). After heavy pruning (or after freezing), Robinia forms a lot of root shoots, often at a great distance from the mother tree. Therefore, formative pruning should be carried out carefully and regularly, starting at a young age.
In our conditions, Robinia is drought-resistant, heat-resistant, photophilous, unpretentious to soils. Productivity decent, blossoms annually.
Smilax (Sassaparilla, Ekala)
High Smilax (Smilaxexcelsa) is widespread in the forests of the Caucasus. This is a high (usually up to 10, sometimes up to 50 m) semi-evergreen woody vine with greenish strong stems covered with very powerful spikes. The leaves are heart-shaped, with light spots.
Young shoots of Smilaks (growing, tender tops of a reddish color) are eaten both raw (tastes sour, juicy, with a slight bitterness) and boiled (including for the Georgian national appetizer pkhali). They can be pickled, fermented, etc. Harvesting is the first half of summer.
Winter hardiness - about 6 zone, demanding on the amount of summer heat. In our conditions, it does not freeze slightly, bears fruit every year. Easily propagated by seeds (sowing before winter). Prefers partial shade and rich moist soils. It is necessary to control strong growth with regular pruning so that Smilax plantings do not turn into impenetrable thickets and give many young shoots. It is not recommended to use trees as a support for Smilax, given its powerful growth and roundness.
snyt
Common gout (Aegopodiumpodagraria) - widespread in the Northern Hemisphere herbaceous plant, many gardeners Middle Band it is known as a hard to eradicate weed. Indeed, on moist, loose soils in partial shade, Snyt is able to grow from high speed(growth of rhizomes to the sides - up to a meter per year). In our conditions, Snyt does not grow so powerfully, apparently, the reason for this is heavy soils and summer droughts.
Young leaves of Snytya are a wonderful "spring" delicacy. A slight specific aftertaste does not spoil the impression at all. Grows early, high yield. Use is varied.
Those who have never collected Snyt and do not know her "by sight" should remember that in the Umbrella family there are several poisonous plants, similar leaves with Snytya.
Yucca
in the south of Russia and neighboring countries several species of the genus Yucca are widely grown. They are valued for their exotic "southern" appearance, spectacular flowering (inflorescences are often over 2 meters), evergreen leaves and unpretentiousness. Yucca filamentous (Yuccafilamentosa) is the most common in Russian gardens and goes furthest to the north. This species does not form a stem (unlike many other Yuccas), and its leaves are not as stiff. The latter is a definite "plus", given that the leaves of all Yuccas end in sharp needles that can cause serious injury. Yucca filamentous blooms in the middle of summer, other species - earlier or later.
Winter hardiness of filamentous Yucca - zone 5, glorious Yucca - zone 6. Plants are photophilous, prefer fertile soils, drought-resistant, responsive to care. In our conditions, Yuccas do not form seeds (due to the lack of pollinators), they reproduce only by rooting lateral rosettes (which is very simple) or root cuttings. Can be grown from seeds of North American origin.
Everywhere, Yuccas are grown precisely as ornamental plants, only a few know about their edibility ... All types and hybrids of Yuccas have edible flowers with a very pleasant nutty flavor. The texture is slightly crispy and firm. A real delicacy! Flower yield is very high. It is advisable to eat not opened flowers, but formed buds, there are no insects.
Sliced yucca buds in a summer salad are especially good, seasoned with butter and balsamic vinegar. Pairs well with cheese, tomatoes...
Bear onion ("ramson", "chenzeli")
Among the Bows are many edible plants, but most of them are photophilous and prefer well-drained loose soils. Accordingly, as practice has shown, most types of Onions (including Batun Onions, Slime Onions and Chives) are not very suitable for a “problem-free” culture in our conditions. But our local forest species, the rhizomatous Bear's Onion (Allium ursinum), showed itself very well.
Bear onion tolerates winter waterlogging well, shade-tolerant, requires rich soils. Easily propagated by sowing fresh seeds and dividing rhizomes. In our conditions, it gives self-sowing, independently settling in wet places in the garden.
Traditionally, young shoots of Cheremsha are used for food, harvested in the forests in rather barbaric ways. When growing in the garden, it is not at all necessary to plow the entire plantation with a chopper in order to obtain February-March vitamins ... It is much more reasonable to cover Cheremsha with a film, and then collect early harvest leaves above ground. And not entirely, but selectively, so as not to overly weaken the rhizomes. The flower arrows and buds of Cheremsha are also edible, they can be harvested much later, when the leaves have already coarsened.
Leaves, flower stalks and buds of Cheremsha have a sharp garlic taste, you can’t eat much fresh ... They are usually fried (like nettles, see above), stewed ... and for storage they are pickled or sour.
Ramson grows well under the crowns of deciduous trees (including trees of the Walnut family), its leaves in spring easily pierce even thick layer leaf litter. Cheremsha - great option to land under walnut, Hazelnut, Pecan, Ginkgo ... and under any fruit. Its aerial part dies off by mid-summer and does not interfere with the subsequent harvest of fruit and nut species.
Pruning tree species for salad greens
Once again I will draw your attention to the fact that in order to obtain a large amount of high-quality "green mass", woody plants need special pruning.
- 1. The first 2-3 years after planting (with developed seedlings), the plants are not pruned. At this stage, the main good rooting and root extension. For this purpose, in the first years, seedlings are regularly watered, mulched, if necessary (poor soils), complex mineral fertilizer can be applied.
- 2. When the seedlings started active growth(last year's growth is more than a meter), in early spring they are cut short (at a height of 10 ... 20 cm from the soil surface, but it can be higher, up to 1 meter). Shoots that grow later can be used for food, but you do not need to pluck everything. It is advisable to thin out (usually a lot of buds wake up), leaving 3-4 of the strongest.
- 3. A year later, in early spring (or winter), the branches left are also greatly shortened, but this time they are higher, about 40 ... 50 cm from the soil surface (or 20 ... 30 cm above last year's cuts. shoots already give a tangible harvest.Among them, you also need to leave the strongest, evenly spaced, to form a branched "skeleton".
- 4. Subsequently, pruning is carried out in the same way, greatly shortening all last year's branches in early spring, while removing everything weak and thin. When harvesting, several strong shoots are left along the outer perimeter.
- 5. It is highly desirable to regularly feed such “bush trees” with any organic matter, the easiest way is by mulching to stimulate powerful growth.
Naturally, this is not a complete list of "non-traditional" perennial edibles... He briefly spoke only about those that are really productive, reliably tested in the region and feel good in botanical garden"365". Edible Bamboos, Kupena, Butterbur, Wood Angelica (Angelica), Manchurian Aralia, Siberian Hogweed, Chinese Cedrella (Tuna), Colchis Butcher's Broom, Rhubarb, Maples, Hostas, Beeches are still growing and waiting in the wings ...
Some (tested as food) plants did not perform very well... for various reasons... Among them: warm winters), Reinutria (Buckwheat) Sakhalin (excessively grows and contains a lot of oxalic acid), Asphodelina yellow (juvenile, tedious to collect flowers, although they are tasty), Cercis (flowers are very small, tiring to collect, although the trees develop perfectly).
Finally, a little about security. I hope you accurately identify the plant BEFORE you eat it... Check if it can be eaten raw, or better boiled... And you will NOT (immediately) consume a new food for you in large quantities...
Pah-pah, this is me, just in case. Bon appetit, leafworms and florophages
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