Eastern Redbud Flavor Newsletter

These bright pink flowers are not just for decoration!

Redbud & Sardines

Eastern Redbud

Eastern Redbud trees produce brilliant pink blossoms that emerge in the Spring, just before the tree dons heart-shaped leaves for the Summer (romantic, right?). Their petite flowers are mild and slightly vegetal, and have a tinge of green apple sourness. They taste similar to alfalfa sprouts but without that slimy lettuce aftertaste. In contrast to the flavor, you won’t find the texture of these flowers in the grocery store very often; they’re soft and bouncy with a minute juicy crunch. Use the flowers as you would microgreens in savory applications, and treat them like any edible flower for baked goods and confections.

To preserve their romantic and tumbly texture, I don’t usually wash the blossoms - but I do “dry process” them (this is not a technical term, just what I say when I don’t rinse things underwater). I place the blooms in a colander and gently agitate them with my hands, picking out any stowaway leaves or twigs. As I do, the tiny bugs and bits of bark fall through the colander holes and leave the tender blossoms behind. When I have a bountiful harvest, I usually air-dry a few cups of the flowers; they carry little flavor but maintain their brilliant color. I add them to oatmeal, salads, muffin tops, and granola for a pop of color.

In contrast to last week’s ingredient, which can be commonly available for retail purchase, you probably won’t find redbud flowers at a specialty grocer or farmer’s market. You will, however, find them lining suburban streets, blooming in public parks, and dotted around parking lots. It is easy to harvest a few cups in under a minute - just make sure to leave plenty behind for the early pollinators.

Most recipes you’ll spot online use Redbud’s stunning color to beautify cakes or create syrups and jellies. Heartwood Holler’s Redbud Chocolate Cake and Ful-filled’s Redbud and Lemon Cornmeal Loaf Cake incorporate the flowers into the batter in addition to the garnish. Healthy Green Kitchen’s Redbud Jelly recipe is quite comprehensive for a simple condiment, and this Redbud Sour from Olive & Mango is one of the most inventive applications I’ve seen for Redbud Syrup.

This week’s recipe for Redbud & Sardines favors the flowers’ delightfully vegetal flavors and puts their amusing texture front and center.

Eastern Redbud Flowers

Find the Flavor

Find Eastern Redbud
✓ Forage for yourself in Eastern North America
✓ Ask your friends and neighbors (don’t be shy, talk to them!)

Find Redbud Products
✓ Eastern Redbud Essence on Etsy
✓ Redbud Jelly on Etsy

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References & Resources

Native American Ethnobotany Database: Cercis Canadensis
Redbud Jam Video from Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Eastern Redbud Entry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources
Eastern Redbud Identification Video from Marty Calabrese
Penn State Extension Pollinator Article

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