Does anyone know whether/how yucca flower petals can be used as "food extenders"? I am referring to the yucca plants commonly known as Spanish Dagger or Spanish Sword.

-- Clinton J.Barnes (pococj@aol.com), June 26, 1999

Answers

I don't know about using them for human consumption, but I do know that livestock can eat them. We have tons of this stuff growing on my parents property and I have one horse out of 4 who will occasionally eat some of the tender parts of the plants (blooms mostly). Neighbors with goats have no yucca plant problems because the goats eat them down to the ground and kill them off. Hope that helps a little.

-- Ellie Schwinger (hotging@aol.com), September 07, 1999.

I don't know what they may contribute in the way of food value but blossoms can be eaten. I have relatives who pick bags of them and use them for snacking. They found out about these blossoms being edible from a book. The title was something like "Edible Plants of the California Desert". It is a small pocket-size book. The blossoms, as they use them, are eaten as snacks like munching sunflower or pumpkin seeds. I've sampled them. The petals have a very mild, slightly sweet taste. Not much flavor. Maybe not first choice for a snack but they can be consumed. Not sure what other uses they might have. Desert dwellers, perhaps NA tribal folks who live in AZ and NM might have more detailed information on use. Perhaps in one of the recent cookbooks that various organizations have been putting out. You might try one of the Native American Web Sites and look for food subject. There are several which will turn up in a search for "Native Americans". Or "Native American Cooking", perhaps?

Jo

-- Jo Farmer (matawny@AOL.COM), April 16, 2000.