If you're in the woods, one of the first trees you'll notice "budding" out is the Eastern Redbud. You can't mistake it. It'll be one of the very first trees to bud out and it has an unmistakable purple bloom. You'll notice it because it blooms out before it shows its leaves.
Here's a closeup of the blossoms. If you think they look similar to pea blossoms, good eye! The Eastern Redbud is a member of the pea family!
Once you spot one of these trees, you'd do well to remember its location. It can provide a nice harvest for you later on.
After it blooms out, it grows heart-shaped leaves.
It's got kind of a scraggly bark and the trunk is often forked, low on the tree.
Soon after the flowers drop, the tree develops pea pods.
They look exactly like snow peas. And guess what? They're edible and they taste exactly like snow peas. You can cook with them (or eat them raw) just like you would snow peas.Pick the peas while the pods are still tender and the peas are small.
To eat, you can eat them raw, such as in a salad. You can also steam them or add them to a stir fry. You eat them pod and all. The pod is the really edible part. If you let the peas get very big, they don't taste very good.
To preserve these, pick them, then give them a quick blanch (steam blanching is best), then pat dry, put in freezer bags and store in the freezer.
They key to finding this treasure trove is to identify the tree early. The best giveaway is to spot those early spring purple blooms. You really can't miss them - they stand out in amongst all the other trees which are still bare.
Redbuds are starting to bloom right now, so now is prime time to hunt out these trees.
Once you've spotted one, make a note of its location. When its leaves are out, go back to the tree and get a look at the leaves. If they're heart-shaped, and if the bark looks like the picture above, then you've made a positive ID on an Eastern Redbud. Keep an eye out for those pea pods and pick 'em when they look just like young, tender snow peas.
And enjoy!
Oh neat! Those are my favorite trees of spring, but I never knew they had "peas" (that you can eat, too!)! Too cool. :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful tree, we know that spring has arrived here in TN when the Redbuds bloom. This is the tree we selected for Sophie's Tree Planting at her Blessing ceremony. It's gorwing in our front yard. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool! I'm definitely going to go harvest some to cook up now. I used to play with redbud pods as a kid, pretending to make stews and such with them. (I also played with mimosa pods.. but I'm guessing those aren't edible. :P)
ReplyDeleteWe've never tried the pods but my son loves the buds before they get too big, "sweeter than sugar" he says. :)
ReplyDeleteI might try cooking some of those pods this year, we always have plenty.
Have you ever pickled them?
I remember learning a lot about yarrow in one of my classes. It is amazing what herbal remedies are available now that people are finally paying attention to the research behind their powers.
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