Foraging to Eat Redbud Flowers

Reader Contribution by Leda Meredith
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Can you eat redbud trees? Yes, foraging to eat redbud flowers’ bright pink blossoms yields delicious flavor that is like a green bean with a lemony aftertaste.

Can You Eat Redbud Trees?

Different species of redbud grow in different parts of the world, each with edible blossoms. In eastern North America, look for Cercis canadensis; in California and other western states, look for C. occidentalis; and around the Mediterranean and some parts of Asia you’ll find C. siliquastrum.

Redbud is a favorite with landscapers, who have spread it as far as Australia and South Africa. It is also because of landscapers that you’ll often find it growing in urban and suburban areas. Left to its own devices, redbud likes to grow on sunny slopes but can survive as an understory tree or shrub.

How to Identify Redbud Trees

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