Many shrubs, planted on plots and in home gardens asornamental shrubs , also produceedible fruit , the value of which is often underestimated. Meanwhile, these fruits can have a culinary use, being an excellent raw material for tinctures, wines, juices, jams, preserves and teas. What's more, theseornamental shrubs with edible fruitare also commonly found in the wild and we will have no problem obtaining their fruit even outside our garden. Therefore, it is worth finding out how to use them in the kitchen.
Note!Some of the ornamental shrub fruits presented in the text can only be eaten after processing.Boiling or frying them allows you to get rid of the poisonous substances contained in the raw fruit, while allowing to extract their taste and nutritional values. Therefore, please read the descriptions carefully.
Elderberry 'Variegata' with attractive foliage and fruit for preserves
List of ornamental shrubs with edible fruitlet's start with elderberry. Black elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is a shrub commonly found in our country in the natural environment, often overgrowing wastelands and roadsides. It is fully frost-resistant, prefers moist positions and soils rich in nitrogen.
The gardens are mainly plantedornamental elderberry varietiesThe shredded form (Sambucus nigra lacinata) with delicately divided green leaves. Properly pruned, it can resemble a fern bush. Growing freely within 20 years it will transform into a small tree measuring 4 x 3 m.It is also worth paying attention to the cultivar 'Variegata' with large, pinnate, green leaves with a clear white margin. The 'Aurea' variety is very hardy, and its leaves in a sunny position will keep their golden color until fall, when they start to darken gradually. The variety 'Aureomarginata' with leaves with bright yellow edges is also interesting. 'Guincho Purple' leaves initially green, turning dark purple in summer and turning red in fall.
From May to June (sometimes even until July)black lilac ornaments are white, strongly fragrant flowers( although e.g. in the 'Guincho Purple' variety they are slightly pink), collected in large and flat corymbs. In August,dark blue elderberry fruitsappear on the flower site , which are an excellent raw materialfor the production of juices and preserves that strengthen immunity during autumn and winterHowever, we must remember that these fruits are poisonous when raw. The poison they contain is removed during cooking.They must also be harvested at full maturity.
The herbal raw material can also beelderberry flowers , which are used to prepare infusions for colds, for the treatment of various types of catarrh and inflammation of the respiratory tract, as well as in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. We offerelderberry flower syrup , which gives the drinks a unique flavor and aroma. To prepare the syrup, wash 35 fully developed elderberry inflorescences and divide them into small segments. Then pour cold syrup over them, prepared from 2 kg of sugar, 1.5 l of water, 3-4 teaspoons of citric acid and one lemon divided into eighths. After two days, strain the syrup through gauze folded several times. We pour them into clean bottles and seal them hermetically. Can be added to tea, cocktails and other drinks. I highly recommend!
Another proposalof an ornamental shrub with edible fruits is the single-necked hawthorn(Crataegus monogyna), also common in Poland - all over the lowlands and in the lower mountain locations.This plant can grow into a shrub or a densely branched small tree with a rounded crown with shoots covered with numerous thorns. It is eagerly used for hedges, because it thickens nicely, and thanks to the thorns, the hedge is impenetrable for both humans and animals. White or cream-colored, strongly fragrant, honey-bearing flowers appear in late spring. Shiny, lobed leaves turn red-orange in autumn. Hawthorn fruits are spherical, with one stone, from light coral to dark brown in color. They ripen from August to October. Both flowers andhawthorn fruits have a healing effectThe fruits can be eaten raw, but they are much more suitable for preserves. You can use them, for example, to prepare a compote.
Single-necked hawthorn. Good for a fruiting hedge!
In order to preparehawthorn compoteharvested fruits should be washed, sorted, seeds removed and rinsed.Then prepare the sugar syrup (we give 0.8 kg of sugar for 1 liter of water), bring it to the boil and set aside. Put the fruit into it and set aside for 8-10 hours. Then strain the fruit and put it into prepared jars until it becomes narrower. Bring the syrup to a boil, cook for 3-4 minutes and pour it over the fruit in the jars. We sterilize in boiling water (half-liter jars for 20 minutes and liter jars for 25 minutes).
Anotherornamental shrub with valuable fruitis the common rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), also called the common rowan or simply rowan. It is very common in the wild in Poland. It is a plant that is often multi-stemmed, with a nice, loose and upright habit.
Rowanberry
From May to June, corymbos of cream flowers bloom on the rowan, and from July to October, the plant is decorated withspherical fruit, gathered in dense clusters , initially yellow, then scarlet red.In autumn, the pinnate leaves of rowan also change their color beautifully. It is a plant that is easy to grow and tolerant of the position.
Note!Raw rowan fruits are very bitter and poisonous due to the content of parasorbic acid. Before consumption, they should be frozen or immersed in boiling water for a while (so-called blanching). Then they lose both bitter taste and poisonous properties.
The rowan fruit is used to make mountain ash(fruit vodka), juices, jams, marmalade, syrups, mousses. After frying with apples, they are an excellent addition to meat. We suggest preparingrowan honey jamFor this purpose, prepare 1 kg of frozen rowan fruits, 50 g of honey and two glasses of water. Separate the fruit from the stalks and put them in the water to defrost them. Put the honey into a pot, pour water over it and heat it until completely dissolved. Then bring to a boil, add the berries and cook continuously until the jams have the right consistency.
An equally valuedornamental shrub with edible fruits(but only after processing) is coral viburnum (Viburnum opulus), which is common in Poland almost everywhere, except the Tatra Mountains. Many interesting varieties are grown in the gardens.
Coral viburnum
This species grows in the form of a dense bush, usually growing up to 4 m in height. Dark green leaves with 3 - 5 lobes change color nicely in autumn, usually orange or red. At the turn of spring and summer, flat umbels of creamy-white flowers appear on the plant. Bright red, oval fruits ripen in August and September, and then remain on the shrubs for several months, being a wonderful decoration.
Viburnum fruits are edible , although eaten raw, they turn out to be harmful, especially for children. They are also not tasty. However, you can prepare a refreshing drink from them.To prepareviburnum fruit drinkyou will need 1 kg of viburnum fruit, 30 g of sugar, 10 g of honey, sparkling water and ice cubes. The fruit should be washed and sprinkled with sugar. After about 5 - 6 days, they release the juice. Then we strain them and combine them with honey. It is served on the table in glasses with sparkling water and an ice cube.
Our, probably quite original, compilationof ornamental shrubs with edible fruit , is closed by a wrinkled rose (Rosa rugosa). This plant is native to East Asia. Brought to Europe for cultivation, it quickly spread in the wild. As a garden plant, it is easy to grow, fully frost-resistant, and has numerous ornamental values.
Wrinkled rose
Ruffled rose bushes can grow up to 2 m in height. They bloom from June to August in shades of pink and red, although individual flowers may still develop until autumn.The leaves are shiny and wrinkled, bright yellow in autumn. The fruits are oval, initially light green and orange, turning red when fully ripe. They are a valued source of vitamin C and herbal raw material. Various preserves and wines are made of them.
The recipe forPolish rose jamYou will need 30-40 grams of sugar and 1 kg of purified fruit to prepare them ruffled rose. Prepare the ripe fruit as in the previous recipes. Then pour a glass of water into them and overcook them, then rub through a sieve. The puree should be brought to a boil and cooked for 10 - 12 minutes. Then, dissolve the prepared sugar in it and cook until the jam has the right consistency. Transfer hot to jars and sterilize in boiling water. Half-liter jars should be sterilized for about 20 minutes and liter jars for 25 minutes.
If you have these shrubs in your gardens, I encourage you to harvest and use their fruits. I hope you will like these recipes. Enjoy your meal!
