gift
Justin Rhodes 45 minute video tour of wheaton labs basecamp
will be released to subscribers in: soon!
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Tereza Okava
  • AndrĂ©s Bernal
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden

Does anyone eat peony leaves?

 
Posts: 194
Location: SF bay area zone 10a
63
2
forest garden fungi trees foraging fiber arts medical herbs
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
OK, so I'm breaking the lower leaves off my itoh peonies now, even though I ought to leave all the leaves on until they turn brown. But they're starting to look raggedy and they snap so satisfyingly and also it lets some sun in for the squash and bean vines that are growing under them and furthermore I'm impatient and I want to take a look at next year's buds.
So, to justify this theft of next year's vigor, I'm wondering if they're edible. Toothsome. Nourishing. Variety is the spice of life and the source of micronutrients and all that.
I look at the snake eating its tail of the internet and it's all "Every part of the peony plant is toxic." Well, maybe.
I  know the flowers are used for tea, which I don't much care for, so I use the dropped petals in my stir fry. Pretty small dose, admittedly, but most foods are.
I use the roots medicinally. Also pretty small dose, but doubtless more than the flowers, and for a longer duration.
But of course many plants have different qualities in different parts, so I'd feel much better trying more than a nibble if I knew others had eaten the leaves.
Yes, they're tough, but I could throw them in the pressure cooker with my rice if only my husband didn't worry about their toxicity.
Any experience? Stories? Rumours of other cultures?
Thanks!
 
Posts: 15
Location: Fountain, Colorado (USDA Hardiness Zone 6a)
1
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
From what I have found Peoni flowers, roots, and seeds have versatile uses in the kitchen and as medicine. Here is a link to a study analyzing the chemical makeup of each different part of the plant: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0926669019310386

Hope this helps!
 
This tiny ad isn't wearing any underwear - WOO!
montana community seeking 20 people who are gardeners or want to be gardeners
https://permies.com/t/359868/montana-community-seeking-people-gardeners
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic