Judas tree

Cercis siliquastrum

flower

Small bright pink flowers with a tangy fresh-pea flavor, in salads; the buds are pickled like capers.

Origin

Eastern Mediterranean

Where to find it

Planted in parks, avenues and cemeteries in southern France, it grows wild on the slopes of Turkey and Lebanon.

Season (United States)

April

Preparation

The flowers are pulled from the twigs and eaten raw, scattered over a salad; the buds are pickled for a few weeks in salted vinegar.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Anthocyanins

Did you know?

Its flowers burst straight from the trunk and old branches, before the leaves.