Hello! I just bought a semi-urban house with a quarter acre lot on MA. There is a Kanzan cherry tree in my yard - I really like it, but I'm wondering if I can eat the flowers. Based on googling, I know I may or may not get fruit, and if I do, it will probably be very sour, but I haven't found anything about the flowers. I have a boatload of forsythia that I made jelly out of, and would like to try on these blossoms while they're here. Thanks in advance.
Hi! Just an update since I'm sure people are on the edge of their seats wondering the answer to my question
I did try the petals. They were very bitter, which according to my internet research means they are not edible or good for eating. I may try to infuse some vinegar this year if I have extra kombucha vinegar, but since the flowers don't smell and taste bitter it will probably be a lost cause.
However, here's another article focused on the blossom consumption that indicates they're used in teas in Japan and the toxins are in the bark and leaves: https://ask.extension.org/questions/388219
I do wonder if different species, hybrids, and cultivars have different levels of the cyanic glycosides (precursors to cyanide) and thus differing toxicity levels. If it were me I'd do a deeper dive into the existing articles and information before eating either blossoms or leaves.
Catherine Carney
Rifflerun Farm
It wasn't my idea to go to some crazy nightclub in the middle of nowhere. I just wanted to stay home and cuddle with this tiny ad:
advertising for free (and not-free) on permies.com