Rowan Flower Edibility

[The Woodman]

I've had a good trawl and cannot find any info on the edibility of Rowan flowers. Some sources mention a fetid component of their smell but nothing else.
Presumably if they were a noteworthy addition to our and our forebears diets, there would be something recorded about them as there is the berries.

[tcvarlh]

Same here, even called Mother-in-Law back home and she's never heard of anyone making wine or using the flowers for a single thing.. she said 'Die Stinken so!' Doesn't need much translation. She also said it would be worth a try and if it works then could she have the recipe/method used. 'Danke vielmals'. Her last comment reiterated Woodman's remark about Honeybees and food. So Woodman, it may be folklore but I got the tale from an Old Wife.

HW :
Mr Mears is ok but sometimes he talks thru' his hat, Rowan was used and still is as a preventative against Scurvey.
It is very tasty IF you like bitter-sour flavours, I DO. Choco freaks probably wouldn't.
The jelly or confiture was used with venison as this meat was sometimes a tad 'Wrigleys' and the sorbic helped during cooking to tenderise. Just like apple sauce.

[Hedge Witch]

Originally Posted by tcvarlh

Mr Mears is ok but sometimes he talks thru' his hat, Rowan was used and still is as a preventative against Scurvey.

OK, a demiGod then, there isn't anyone I'd rather be trapped in the wilderness with

But to be fair to him, I think he was using techniques that prehistoric man would have commonly used to prepare the berries. And I don't think vast quantities of sugar would be available.

The other point I meant to make is that the toxicity of the flowers may be different to that of the berries, and whether and how you cook them might make all the difference.

Like I said, I wouldn't be confident enough to eat them.

[Amoeba]

Thanks for the responses guys. Much appreciated.

After crushing and checking for irritations to the lips or tongue (there were none) I did a taste test (yeah I went there, I'm aware of the risks) with about three flower heads. They had a very pleasant, sweet, honey-like perfumy flavour. There was a slight bitterness, but nothing as strong as, for example, tea. I didn't feel ill or in any way out of sorts, but unless I can get some sort of confirmation I don't think I'll consider them guraranteed to be safe. It was too small a volume to really be sure anyway.

Ah well. Maybe I won't find out.

I've actually been looking for elder, but can't find any. Does anyone know where it can be found around Edinburgh?

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by Amoeba

Thanks for the responses guys. Much appreciated.

After crushing and checking for irritations to the lips or tongue (there were none) I did a taste test (yeah I went there, I'm aware of the risks) with about three flower heads. They had a very pleasant, sweet, honey-like perfumy flavour. There was a slight bitterness, but nothing as strong as, for example, tea. I didn't feel ill or in any way out of sorts, but unless I can get some sort of confirmation I don't think I'll consider them guraranteed to be safe. It was too small a volume to really be sure anyway.

Ah well. Maybe I won't find out.

I've actually been looking for elder, but can't find any. Does anyone know where it can be found around Edinburgh?

It is such a weed shrub, I would expect to find it anywhere that there is a bit of rough hedge or some waste ground. Ubiquitous comes to mind.

Much easier to find than Rowan.

[Amoeba]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

It is such a weed shrub, I would expect to find it anywhere that there is a bit of rough hedge or some waste ground. Ubiquitous comes to mind.

Much easier to find than Rowan.

I, too, am rather suprised that I can't find any. I saw plenty last year (I wish I had taken note of locations, I can't remember now). None this year though. Have they already bloomed and I missed them?

Nah that can't be it I can't find a leaf match either. This is wierd.

[Meta menardi]

No flowers here yet, once it flowers you should be able to smell the fragrant scent of the clouds of blossoms. Love it, and the elderberries make a superb chutney to go with curries. Supposed to be the tree that Judas hung himself from, all I can say he must have found a blooming big one!

[tcvarlh]

I called a friend earlier and in passing I asked him about Elders around his place, he said they have Elders in the Grange area if that means anything to you.

hope that helps

h

[The Woodman]

I'm glad you've suffered no ill effects, amoeba. You haven't missed the Elder blossom either, it's not shown yet..

[Myddred]

References to Rowan 'berries' are incorrect. The Rowan Tree bears clusters of fruits.