The pretty forget-me-not that grows in the garden, in the forest or on the edges of ponds is not poisonous. The flowering herb is edible and is used in spring cuisine. What you need to pay attention to if you want to eat forget-me-nots.
Are forget-me-not flowers edible?
Forget-me-not flowers are edible and non-toxic, they can be used as an edible decoration in soups, salads and vegetable plates. During the flowering period from April to June, the flowers can be collected and carefully washed before being used in the kitchen.
Forget-me-not contains hardly any toxins
Forget-me-not contains some substances that are unhe althy in high concentrations. However, the proportion in the spring perennial is so low that it does not cause poisoning as long as the plant is not consumed in excess:
- tannic acid
- Alkaloids
- Potassium
Forget-me-not is the ideal spring bloomer for gardens and balconies used by children and pets.
Using forget-me-nots in the kitchen
- Soups
- Salads
- edible decoration
The blue flowers are used for cooking. Pluck them from the herb and then rinse them carefully with clean water. This is especially advisable if you have harvested the plants in the wild.
Forget-me-not flowers have a very low taste of their own. They are not suitable as a seasoning, but are suitable as an edible decoration on soups, salads and vegetable platters. They are also often used with other plants to make flower salads.
Forget-me-not as a medicinal plant
Forget-me-not is also a medicinal plant, but is not used frequently because of its weak effect. Tea made from forget-me-nots is said to have a calming and anti-inflammatory effect.
When is the best time to collect?
Forget-me-not is collected during the flowering period from April to June, namely the flowering herb.
Pick forget-me-nots only in places where you can be sure that they have not come into contact with pesticides. You should also avoid the flowers on streets and busy dog paths.
Pull forget-me-nots to eat yourself
If you want to plant forget-me-nots yourself in a pot or garden to eat the flowers, only use garden soil that has not been fertilized.
Forget-me-not is susceptible to powdery mildew. Infected plants are not edible and must be disposed of.
Tip
Forget-me-not plants purchased from the nursery are not poisonous but are not suitable for eating. The potting soil here is too heavily contaminated with fertilizer. The plants were often also treated with pesticides.
