How to identify and forage redbud: early spring flowers, mid spring veggies

Identification difficulty: Beginner 

If you live in the Southern, Mid-Atlantic, or Western states of the US, there's a good chance you know redbud, even if you don't think you know it.

Redbuds are the earliest splash of color seen among the trees, even before most leaves are starting to bud. It looks like a fairy passed though and completely encircled the branches in vivid pink. Everything about redbud is charming: beautiful pink flowers, heart shaped leaves, and delicate branches.

They are lovely. . . and edible! In the early - mid spring, redbud flowers add unique flavor and stunning color to a variety of dishes. Young leaves can be cooked, or used sparingly in salads. Late in the spring, you can enjoy the most robust edible from this spectacular tree: the soft green seed pods.

Redbud trees are in the genus Cercis, and the most commonly encountered is Cercis canadensis, the Eastern redbud. Despite the name "canadensis",  it's more thoroughly distributed in the United States than in Canada.

Redbuds are great for urban and suburban foraging, as they are often planted in neighborhoods along sidewalks, and I see them a lot on corporate campuses, in parking lots, and along park/bike trails.

Vietnamese-Style Summer Rolls with Black Locust

Black locust blossoms are a tasty treat that are only available for about a week out of every year, right now! Check out my page on how to safely ID black locust. So if you live in the northeast, don't miss out, they are ready for harvest right now!

The beautiful flowers have an indescribable ambrosia scent, and a flavor that's like the sweetest of sweet peas mixed with flowers and a hint of vanilla. They are one of the freshest tastes I can think of, spring-like and bright-tasting.

Vietnamese summer rolls seemed like the natural recipe to try with these blossoms. Unlike the spring rolls or egg rolls of take-out Chinese fame, summer rolls aren't fried. They are filled with fresh herbs (usually mint, basil and sometimes cilantro), and raw veggies sliced thin. Summer rolls are gluten-free, using rice wrappers and cellophane noodles (made from mung bean starch). They are light but filling, and with very minimal cooking they are perfect for a hot night.

Though traditionally made as an appetizer, a few of these is a very filling meal, and without a lot of calories. As attractive finger foods, they are also great as party and picnic fare, and since they are served cool, you they travel well -- take them with you and avoid fast-food or the junk they serve on a plane.

Foraging: Identifying & Harvesting Black Locust

Identification difficulty: Beginner

When I got formally into "foraging" as an adult, and read about the black locust, it came as a pleasant surprise to learn that this tree and I were already well acquainted. As a very young child, our next-door neighbor had on of these at the side of his house, and I was fixated. I called it the "Tutti Fruity Tree", mainly because its autumn foliage was primarily shades of pink and coral, rather than the more typical red, gold and orange. I loved that tree from late spring (where I would shower myself in the fallen blossoms) through the fall, when it's unusual coloration captivated me. I had even "foraged" as a 5-year old for the fallen bean pods; that is to say, I gathered them up and made mud-pies. I had no idea that the flowers were edible, nor would my parents have allowed me to really eat them, even if I had wanted to.