Is pagoda tree flower poisonous? The latest answer is here

The black locust tree is a tree widely planted in North China, China. Its flowering period is from the end of April to early June each year. The flowers are white. When in bloom, from a distance they look like a layer of pure white snow spread over the tree, very pleasing to the eye. It not only has ornamental value, but is also an edible flower. Now let us take a look at whether black locust flowers are poisonous!

Are black locust flowers poisonous?

Black locust flowers are not poisonous. Modern medical research shows that pagoda tree flowers contain rutin (also known as rutoside), quercetin, tannins, sophoradiol, vitamin A and other substances, and contain no substances toxic to the human body, so they are not poisonous, and generally everyone can eat them with confidence. However, it should be noted that although all types of pagoda tree flowers are non-toxic, only black locust flowers can be used as food. Japanese pagoda tree flowers are mostly dried and used as traditional Chinese medicine, while the flowers of the purple black locust are purplish red, have low nutritional value, and are mostly used as ornamental plants.

Efficacy and effects of black locust flowers

1. Cooling blood and stopping bleeding: Black locust flowers taste bitter and are slightly cold in nature. In traditional Chinese medicine theory, they enter the liver and large intestine meridians. They are a substance with high medicinal value and are often used clinically in supportive treatment for bleeding and blood-heat type conditions. They have good effects on conditions such as blood in the stool, blood in the urine and hemorrhoidal bleeding.

2. Lowering blood pressure: Modern research shows that black locust flowers are rich in rutin. Rutin is an important substance that increases capillary resistance, can improve capillary function, increase the elasticity of blood vessel walls, and greatly reduce the probability of cerebral vascular rupture, thereby helping prevent stroke and high blood pressure.

3. Clearing the liver and reducing fire: Pagoda tree flowers enter the liver meridian and also have good therapeutic effects on excessive liver fire, headache with red eyes, sore and swollen throat, loss of voice, and carbuncles and sores.

4. Usually moistening the intestines: Drinking water infused with honey produced from black locust flowers can regulate gastrointestinal function, normalize gastric acid secretion, enhance intestinal peristalsis, and significantly shorten defecation time.

5. Anti-inflammatory and sterilizing: The rutin, sophoradiol and various sugars contained in black locust flowers can quickly kill harmful substances in human blood and prevent them from circulating in the human body, preventing the occurrence of various inflammations. Applying the juice of pagoda tree flowers to the skin can effectively resist fungi.

How to eat black locust flowers

1. Black locust flower filling: Wash the sand and dust off the black locust flowers with clean water, put them in a pot and boil briefly, just until they are cooked, then remove the pagoda tree flowers from the pot, soak them in clean water to remove the grassy smell, then squeeze out the water by hand, dry them and set aside. Take an appropriate amount of fresh chives or garlic sprouts, trim and wash them, and chop them. Take an appropriate amount of sheet jelly or vermicelli, boil until soft and thoroughly cooked, and chop. Take several fresh eggs, fry them cooked, and chop them. The total of the above 3 ingredients should be equal to the amount of pagoda tree flowers, that is, each accounts for 1/2 of the total. Add refined salt, sesame oil and a little Sichuan pepper powder, mix well, and the dumpling filling is ready.

2. Steamed pagoda tree flower rice: Rinse the pagoda tree flowers with clean water, dry them and put them in a basin, pour in flour and stir evenly so that every flower is coated with flour. Put a piece of gauze on a steamer basket, then pour in the pagoda tree flowers, poke a few air holes in the pile of pagoda tree flowers with chopsticks, and steam over heat for ten minutes. Take it out of the steamer and put it in a basin, stir to break it up, and after it cools, put it into a wok, add oil, scallion and ginger, stir-fry until hot, finally add salt and take it out of the pan. Eating pagoda tree flower rice with small pickles or soup will make it even more delicious.

3. Steamed fish with pagoda tree flowers: Wash the fish, remove the scales, gills and internal organs, make a few diagonal cuts on the trunk of the fish, put it into a clay pot, add scallion, ginger, garlic, salt, cooking wine and an appropriate amount of clean water, and steam over low heat for 20 minutes. Then add the washed pagoda tree flowers, add a little monosodium glutamate and sesame oil for seasoning, and it is ready to eat.

4. Pan-fried pagoda tree flower cakes: Add flour, salt, Sichuan pepper powder and eggs to the pagoda tree flowers, then stir everything evenly until it becomes a thick paste. After that, spread the prepared pagoda tree flower paste into a hot oil pan and fry it. When both sides are golden brown, the fragrant pagoda tree flower cakes are done.