Hosta
Hosta sieboldiana, H. sieboldiana var. montana
vegetable · leaf
⚠️ Toxic look-alike
Never eat this plant unless you are certain it is not its toxic look-alike.
Its young shoots are confused with those of false hellebore (Veratrum), which grows in the same damp places: every spring Japan records serious, sometimes fatal, poisonings. Veratrum leaves are pleated like an accordion, arranged in a spiral around a stem, with very pronounced veins and a downy underside; hosta leaves all rise from the base, smooth, on a grooved leaf stalk. Veratrum causes, within one to four hours, vomiting, tingling, a drop in blood pressure and a slowed heart. Eat only shoots you have bought or planted yourself.
If in the slightest doubt, leave it. If you feel unwell after eating it, even several hours later, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or 911.
Young curled shoots, cooked in Japan under the name urui: crunchy, somewhere between asparagus and spinach.
- Origin
- Japan, China and Korea
- Season (United States)
- April to May
- Preparation
- The young shoots are blanched for one to two minutes, then dressed or stir-fried. Picked in the wild, they are confused with false hellebore, which is highly toxic: they are bought cultivated.
- Molecules
- Beta-carotene (vitamin A) · Lutein and zeaxanthin · Vegetable nitrates · ChlorophyllIn small amounts, not counted Insoluble fibers
- Did you know?
- In Japan, varieties are grown for the table, while Europe sees only a shade plant for the garden.