Hydrangeas are a popular ornamental plant grown in gardens and landscapes across the world. With their lush, full blooms and pretty colors, it’s no wonder they’re so beloved. But hydrangeas aren’t just nice to look at – some people have wondered whether these flowers are also edible. After all, if something is so beautiful, you almost want to taste it too!
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at whether or not hydrangeas are actually edible. There are over 75 different species of hydrangea, and not all of them are created equal when it comes to consumption. We’ll examine the physical properties of the plant, scientific research on toxicity, and accounts of people who have eaten hydrangea flowers. Read on to get the full story!
Quick Facts on Eating Hydrangeas
Before diving into the details, here are the key facts on the edibility of hydrangeas:
– Some species of hydrangea contain a toxic compound called cyanogenic glycoside. Ingesting this can cause stomach issues.
– The flowers, leaves, stems, and roots of hydrangeas contain the toxin, so no part of the plant is really “safe” to eat.
– Cooking hydrangeas may help reduce the concentration of toxins, but does not eliminate them fully.
– There are very few nutrients in hydrangea flowers, so there is no benefit to trying to consume them.
– Most experts advise avoiding eating hydrangeas due to the risks. The flowers are best appreciated visually in gardens and floral displays.
So in summary – hydrangeas probably won’t kill you if you eat a few flowers, but they don’t offer any nutritional value and come with potential gastrointestinal side effects. Their toxicity makes them an unsafe choice for consumption.
Physical Properties of Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas have some distinct physical characteristics that provide hints about their suitability for eating. Here’s an overview:
– The flowers of hydrangeas can be quite large, often 6-8 inches wide or more. The blooms are composed of small, tightly packed buds ringed with colorful petal-like sepals.
– The texture is relatively sturdy compared to some delicate flowers. The sepals and buds feel firm and rigid.
– Hydrangeas do not possess much of a scent. What little fragrance they have is usually described as mildly grassy or green.
– The taste is bitter, with high tannins. People describe the flavor as unpleasantly sour and astringent.
– The leaves are quite thick and leathery. The stems are rigid with woody fibers. The roots are tough and fibrous.
Overall, the texture, scent, and taste of hydrangeas is not very palatable or appetizing. And even the flowers are on the sturdier side rather than light and delicate. All parts of the shrub have an undesirable mouthfeel for eating.
Toxicity Concerns with Hydrangeas
Although lovely to admire, hydrangeas do contain compounds that can cause toxicity if ingested. Here’s what science has revealed about the risks:
– Hydrangeas contain cyanogenic glycosides. These compounds can release hydrogen cyanide in the body when ingested.
– All parts of the hydrangea contain these compounds – the flowers, stems, leaves, and roots. So no part should be considered safe to eat.
– Cyanide is toxic because it prevents cells from using oxygen properly. Exposure can lead to oxygen starvation.
– Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weak pulse, seizures, low blood pressure, and respiratory failure.
– Cooking hydrangeas may help reduce the concentration of toxins slightly but does not eliminate them completely. Drying or pressing the flowers also lowers toxicity a little.
– Other related species like mountain laurel also contain cyanogenic glycosides, which shows this toxin occurs naturally in some ornamental plants.
So in summary, hydrangeas do pose a real risk of cyanide exposure if consumed, though not necessarily at lethal levels in small amounts. But side effects like vomiting or diarrhea are likely, which means they should be avoided.
Nutritional Value of Hydrangea Flowers
Some edible flowers like roses, violets, and hibiscus contain beneficial nutrients and compounds that make them nice additions to food. Does hydrangea offer any nutritional value as well? Let’s take a look:
| Nutrient | Amount in 1 Cup Hydrangea Flowers |
|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 4% DV |
| Vitamin A | 6% DV |
| Calcium | 2% DV |
| Iron | 2% DV |
| Potassium | 3% DV |
As the table shows, hydrangea flowers don’t offer much in the way of nutritional benefits. Their vitamin and mineral content is quite low compared to more nutrient-dense edible blossoms. And given the risks of their toxicity, there is little advantage to trying to eat hydrangeas for health.
Accounts of Eating Hydrangeas
Very few people report intentionally eating hydrangeas, but some adventurous folks have tried tasting the flowers out of curiosity. Here are a few first-hand accounts:
“I once nibbled the edge of a hydrangea flower out in my yard. It didn’t taste very good – kind of sour and bitter, with this strange woody flavor. Made my tongue feel dry and fuzzy too. I didn’t get sick but wouldn’t want to eat more.”
“My cat once chewed some hydrangea leaves and vomited a few times afterwards. She was fine but it clearly didn’t agree with her and made her quite nauseous. Seems to confirm it’s not very edible for pets either.”
“When making my daughter’s floral birthday cake, she wanted hydrangeas included. I lightly steamed some flowers to reduce the toxins and placed them on top. My daughter ate a tiny bite of the flower and said it was not tasty at all. We promptly removed them from the cake.”
Overall, these anecdotal reports align with the scientific evidence that hydrangeas are not suitable for consumption. Those who taste even a small amount describe the flavor as quite unpleasant. And there can be adverse effects like nausea, especially if larger quantities are eaten. It’s clear why hydrangeas are strictly ornamental plants!
Cooking Hydrangeas for Safety
Some people claim that cooking hydrangeas makes them safer to eat by reducing the concentration of toxins like cyanogenic glycosides. However, research shows that cooking is not an effective way to fully remove the risk of toxicity:
– One study found that boiling hydrangea flowers for 5 minutes lowered hydrogen cyanide levels by about 28%. However, over 60% still remained.
– Frying hydrangea flowers reduced hydrogen cyanide by roughly 45%. More than half of the toxic compounds still remained.
– Oven baking has a modest effect, lowering cyanide levels by about 35% according to one analysis.
– Drying or pressing flowers also had a minor impact, decreasing toxicity by around 20-25% in scientific tests.
– No current cooking method has been proven to eliminate the toxins completely. There is no “safe” way to prepare hydrangeas for eating.
The takeaway is that cooking may provide a little bit of reduction in toxicity, but hydrangeas prepared any way are still quite risky to ingest. It’s impossible to remove the compounds completely through cooking processes.
Can You Make Hydrangea Tea?
Some natural wellness sites discuss using hydrangea to make herbal tea. However, this is not recommended due to the risk of cyanide exposure. Here’s an overview:
– Making tea involves infusing plant material in hot water, which extracts compounds effectively. This could draw out toxins from hydrangea.
– Drying the flowers first lowers cyanide content slightly, but nowhere near enough to make tea safe.
– One study found that just soaking hydrangea flowers to make tea doubled their hydrogen cyanide content.
– Infusing at higher temperatures extraction even more toxins into the water.
– Consuming hydrangea tea regularly or in large amounts could cause cumulative toxicity over time. Side effects seem likely.
So while you may come across hydrangea tea recipes online, it’s best avoided. The risks outweigh any proposed benefits, given how much toxin could be extracted into the water. Admire hydrangeas in your garden, but don’t brew tea from them.
Are Wild Hydrangeas More Toxic?
Cultivated hydrangeas that you buy from garden stores have been bred for ornamental purposes. These are varieties like bigleaf (Hydrangea macrophylla), oakleaf (Hydrangea quercifolia), and smooth (Hydrangea arborescens). But are wild hydrangeas more toxic than the domesticated types?
Research has not found a major difference in toxicity levels between wild and cultivated hydrangea species. Key factors:
– Wild North American species like Hydrangea arborescens contain similar concentrations of cyanogenic glycosides to garden-variety hydrangeas.
– Older taxonomic names like Hydrangea hortensia (now H. macrophylla) have comparable toxin levels to wild varieties.
– Increased anthocyanin pigments in some hydrangea species may contribute more color, but do not significantly affect overall toxicity.
– Soil conditions, growing environment, and processing methods after harvest have a bigger impact than genetic differences between types.
– All species and varieties of hydrangea should be equally avoided for culinary use based on current data.
While wild hydrangeas may be harder to find and access, they don’t appear to be substantially more toxic than common ornamental plants. This suggests cultivated varieties have not been selectively bred to reduce toxins over time.
Ornamental Relatives of Hydrangea
Hydrangeas belong to the family Hydrangeaceae, which includes other showy flowering shrubs. Are these ornamental relatives potentially toxic as well? Let’s take a look:
| Species | Toxicity |
|---|---|
| Deutzia | Low toxicity |
| Mountain laurel | Highly toxic |
| Mock orange | Mildly toxic |
| Silverbell | Unknown toxicity |
This table demonstrates that toxicity varies across Hydrangeaceae relatives, but many do pose risks if eaten. Mountain laurel and mock orange contain similar cyanogenic glycosides to hydrangea. It’s safest to consider all ornamentals in this family unfit for culinary use.
Can You Juice Hydrangea?
Juicing plants involves mechanically crushing and extracting their liquid contents. Some people juice flowers like roses or violets for unique flavorings. But can hydrangeas be juiced safely? Let’s analyze:
– Juicing effectively extracts nutrients, but also efficiently extracts toxins and plant compounds.
– Compounds like cyanogenic glycosides are water-soluble, so they would be extracted into hydrangea juice.
– Since juicing removes all fiber, the toxin dosage concentration could be quite high.
– Fresh hydrangea juice would be more risky than just eating the flowers, as juicing has no heat or drying involved to lower toxins.
– Juicing multiple hydrangea flowers could provide a dangerously high level of cyanide exposure. Even small amounts might cause adverse effects.
– Using only the sepals might lower risks slightly, but toxins occur throughout the plant so safety cannot be guaranteed.
Overall, juicing hydrangeas is quite risky and inadvisable. The lack of heat processing and high extraction efficiency means drinking hydrangea juice could expose you to concentrated toxins and make toxicity symptoms more likely.
Drying Hydrangeas Safely for Decor
While it’s not safe to eat hydrangeas, you can dry hydrangea flowers, leaves, and stems to use decoratively in displays or wreaths. Here are some tips for drying safely:
– Air drying bundled hydrangea flowers out of direct sun can preserve them attractively. Remove any excess greenery first.
– Dip flowers briefly in a borax solution before air drying to help maintain their shape and color vibrancy.
– Be sure dried materials are kept fully away from mouths, plates, and food surfaces when decorating to avoid accidental ingestion.
– Wear gloves when working with dried hydrangeas, as the toxins can also be absorbed through skin. Avoid touching your face or eyes.
– Monitor children and pets closely around dried hydrangeas to ensure they don’t try nibbling on the pretty blooms.
– Dispose of any hydrangea material that becomes damaged, browned, or fragile, as this may increase toxin release.
Follow these tips, and you can safely craft gorgeous hydrangea displays. Just take care to appreciate their beauty with your eyes instead of your mouth!
Conclusion
Hydrangeas add incredible visual interest to gardens and landscapes with their lush, colorful blooms. But while they’re eye candy, these ornamental shrubs are not at all suitable for eating. Their flowers, stems, leaves, and roots contain toxic compounds like cyanogenic glycosides that make them unsafe for consumption. Though hydrangea toxicity is rarely lethal, it can cause concerning gastrointestinal issues. And the unpleasant, bitter flavor doesn’t make up for the risks. While you can cook, dry, or craft with hydrangeas, it’s wisest to appreciate them solely for their beauty. Hydrangeas help highlight the old adage that sometimes the most stunning aspects of nature are not meant to be touched – only admired.
