Basil is blooming: can you still eat it?

When basil blooms, the question arises as to whether its leaves are still edible. In this article you will find out what the flowering season means and which dishes you can also refine with flowering basil.

Basil is blooming: can I still eat it?

Just because basil is blooming doesn’t mean you can’t use it anymore. It is neither inedible nor poisonous during the flowering period.

However, since the basil plant has to expend a lot of energy in this phase to form flowers, the typical aroma diminishes somewhat: flowering basil tastes less intense. The leaves often take on a slightly bitter note. You can therefore only eat them raw to a limited extent. However, you can easily get rid of the bitter substances by boiling the basil and using it in warm dishes.

Tip: You can basically eat the basil blossoms, but they often taste a bit bitter. Because the small petals are still pretty to look at, you can use them to decorate different dishes.

How can I prevent basil from blooming?

If you want to keep your basil from blooming, there are a few care tips to keep in mind.

• Cut off the shoots regularly. Do not pluck off individual leaves as leafless branches die off quickly. It is best to always remove shoots about five centimeters long instead. You can use the cut basil leaves directly, freeze them or dry them.
• Before the basil blooms, i.e. before the first buds appear, cut off the shoots again. But always leave at least two eyes, i.e. thickenings.

Flowering basil: You can still use it like this

Even when basil is in bloom, you can still use it in a variety of ways. The flowers of the plant also have more than one purpose.

• You can still use the basil leaves in soups, sauces, casseroles or stir-fries. Just cook them a little longer than usual so that the bitter taste goes away.

• Basil flowers come in white, pink, and purple. In appetizers, salads and soups you can add a few decorative splashes of color with the edible flowers.

Make basil blossom vinegar

Is your garden full of flowering basil plants? Then don’t throw away the small blossoms, because you can easily use them to make homemade basil blossom vinegar. You need a fairly large number of flowers for this. So the more basil you grow, the better.

Basil Blossom Vinegar Recipe:

• Place the freshly harvested buds in a bowl along with a few basil leaves.
• Depending on your taste, you can now crush a few peppercorns and mix them with the flowers and leaves.
• Take some mild vinegar, such as white vinegar, and pour it over the flower mixture.
• Cover the bowl and let it sit for about three to four weeks.
• Strain the finished vinegar through a sieve.
• Pour the vinegar into a bottle that is as opaque as possible.

When basil is in bloom, it is also very popular with bees and bumblebees. So, for a bee-friendly garden, you should always leave a few buds on the stems.

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Freeze herbs – make basil, parsley & co. long-lasting
• Basil Pesto: Easy DIY Recipe
• With these tricks, basil stays fresh forever
• Planting basil: when, where and how to care for it