Fuchsias are not poisonous
Because of its striking, colorful flowers, many gardeners suspect that the exotic evening primrose plant fuchsia (fuchsia) is poisonous. The opposite is the case, because the mostly dark, juicy berries can even be processed into jam or jelly - in Great Britain and Ireland, where fuchsias often thrive in abundance due to the mild winter climate, these are well-known processing options. Just like the fuchsia cake, which is sometimes served with Five O'Clock tea. But if you want to look for recipes now: “Fuchsia cake” is not only understood by the English to be cakes with fuchsia berries, but also cakes and tarts decorated in fuchsia colors - these are particularly popular for weddings and other celebrations.
also read
- Fuchsias - great diversity of varieties and species
- Which fuchsia varieties are hardy?
- Raspberries are not suitable for drying
Which fuchsia berries are tasty
Depending on the type and variety of the fuchsia plant, the berries can vary greatly in size, shape and color. Ripe fruits are tender and juicy and usually about one and a half to two inches long, red-brown to black or blue-black. Pick them when they're soft and mushy - that's when they taste best. However, not all varieties are equally tasty. Types and varieties with good taste are:
- Fuchsia magellanica (especially the varieties “Globosa” and “Tresco”)
- Fuchsia corymbifolia
- Fuchsia excorticata
- Fuchsia procumbens
- Fuchsia splendens (especially the variety “Karl Hartweg”)
- Fuchsia venusta.
Basically, dark fruits are more aromatic than light ones. Unless you own an entire fuchsia hedge, it usually takes a long time to collect enough berries for jam or a cake. Alternatively, you can gradually gather the fruits together and freeze them in the meantime.
Tips
Incidentally, not only the berries, but also the flowers are edible, so you can dip them in egg white and sugar and bake them briefly. But be careful: Too many fuchsia berries can lead to stomach pain and nausea.
