Botanical: Syringa spp. (the common species is vulgaris)
Family: Oleaceae
Parts Used: leaves, fruit
Actions: astringent, febrifuge, tonic, vermifuge
Using Lilac
Culinary Uses for Lilac
Discussing Lilac’s quality, Anna Bradley[1] has this to say…
An aromatic action causes irritation to the place that it is touching (think GI tract) and irritation brings blood flow and blood flow equals healing! Eating the flowers raw may help with gastric issues such as flatulence or constipation. Making an herbal infused oil may be a great way to capture the aromatics
for healing purposes and to make your own fragrance oil.
Lilac Syrup Recipe
Lilac Syrup turned out to be an excellent and delicious sweet treat. Pour over pancakes, add as a liquor base, or a nonalcoholic lemonade base. I froze the extra syrup in mason jars to keep year round.
Here is a recipe for a simple syrup I found on a blog called Holly and Flora (https://hollyandflora.com/2014/05/14/3-recipes-for-lilac-blossoms/):
“…combine the water and sugar over medium heat on the stove. Heat until dissolved. Add the lilac flowers and simmer for 10 minutes. If you want a brightly hued syrup like mine, add about five blueberries. The color will pop and add a great dimension to your cocktails. Remove from heat, drain through a sieve, bottle, and store in the refrigerator.”
- No known safety issues.
In the dooryard fronting an old farm house near the white wash’d palings, stand the lilac bush tall growing with heart shaped leaves of rich green with many a pointed blossom rising delicate with the perfume strong I love, with every leaf a miracle and from this bush in the dooryard with delicate color’d blossoms and heart shaped leaves of green, a sprig with a flower, I break. ~ Walt Whitman
References:
- Feralbotanicals. (2016) Lilac Flowers – an Edible and Medicinal Treat « Feral Botanicals – Herbs Gone Wild. Retrieved November 05, 2016, from https://feralbotanicals.wordpress.com/2014/04/20/lilac-flowers-an-edible-and-medicinal-treat/
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