These flowers & berries are edible

Caution, poisonous!

All parts of the lilac plant, especially the bark, the leaves and the berries, contain the glycoside syringin, which is only found in the real lilac (lat. Syringa) occurs. The fabric is considered light poisonousWhat you should already notice when trying a flower: Even if it smells seductively sweet, it tastes very bitter. As is so often the case in nature, this taste is an indication of the compatibility of a plant with the human or animal organism. Now, due to the low toxic quantities, you would have to add a lot of poisonous plant parts take to prevent symptoms of poisoning such as cramps, vomiting, or diarrhea suffer. However, consumption is not advisable because sensitive people, children and small pets in particular react very quickly.

Edible "lilacs" - be careful, risk of confusion!

But if lilac is poisonous, why are there so many recipes that primarily use flowers and berries? The solution to the riddle is very simple: In some regions of Germany (especially in Northern Germany!) Not only the real lilac is referred to as such, but also the black one

elder (Sambucus nigra). As a result, it is its flowers and berries that are processed into syrup and juice - and that has been proven to actually help against fever, in contrast to the real lilac. So don't be misled and use the flowers and fruits of the elderberry bush for teas, infusions and for making juice.

Lilac syrup

This "lilac blossom" syrup tastes particularly delicious in herbal teas, in sparkling water or in sparkling wine:

ingredients

• 15 to 20 elderflower umbels
• two kilograms of sugar
• two liters of water
• the juice of a squeezed lemon
• 50 grams of citric acid

How to do it

• First, shake the flower umbels out over a kitchen towel to remove dirt and small insects.
• If necessary, you can swirl the flowers briefly in standing water.
• Drain them and remove the flower stalks.
• Boil the sugar with the water until it has dissolved.
• Put the flowers, lemon juice and citric acid in a bowl.
• Pour the hot sugar solution over the mixture.
• Let it cool and put the covered bowl in a dark and cool place for three to four days.
• Strain the syrup mixture through a fine sieve or cloth and boil it again.
• Fill the finished syrup into bottles.