Every April for the last decade, I’ve ventured into Prospect Park in Brooklyn to revel in cherry blossoms. The lush pink, white, and cream-colored flowers are a burst of joy after a long, cold winter and go hand in hand with the arrival of spring as we shed our layers and gather outside.
While there are hundreds of varieties of cherry blossoms, the species known for their flowers, such as Prunus serrulata, are ornamental trees in the rose family cultivated in Japan. In Japanese culture, flowering cherry trees or “sakura” embody the fleeting nature of life. For after the floral abundance peaks for one to two weeks, petals begin to fall. Sakura as a symbol of beauty and impermanence can be traced back centuries.
Cherry blossoms are edible. When I taste the sweet, silky flowers I notice a hint of bitterness and the tangy flavor of cherry. The scent is intoxicating, and I feel a slight cooling, uplifting and soothing action as I take them in. Famously used in traditional Japanese sweets like mochi cakes, candies, and cookies, blossoms can also be made into uplifting flower essences and tinctures or teas that bloom when covered with hot water.
My favorite way to enjoy the taste and medicine of the flowers is in vinegar. Raw apple cider vinegar is a great alternative to alcohol and glycerine based extracts and offers a myriad of benefits from digestive system support to clearing skin. Infused with cherry blossoms, the vinegar is rich and syrupy with a burst of cherry flavor that is delicious in salad dressings, marinades, seltzer water, or cocktails for a joy-inducing elixir.
This medicinal vinegar not only gladdens the heart but is anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants— naturally occurring vitamins and minerals— that help protect our skin from free radicals, like UV rays and pollution.
Cherry Blossom Vinegar
Making this cherry blossom vinegar is easy. Cherry blossoms are abundant and a joy to harvest. I gently pluck and eat the silky petals as I go, knowing that soon they will be gone.
What you’ll need…
- Roughly 2 cups (or one full lunch bag) of fresh cherry blossoms
- 16 oz raw apple cider vinegar
- Find a tree that is okay to harvest from, making sure the area has not been chemically sprayed or contaminated.
- Carefully harvest flower buds and open blooms, and place them into your basket or paper bag. Please note that it’s best to avoid harvesting leaves with the flowers since many of the plants in this genus have cyanogenic properties, which can be concentrated in the leaves.
- The amount you harvest depends on your intention. My cherry blossom vinegar goes fast and I love giving a jar as a gift. I typically fill 4–6 quart sized mason jars with ⅔ of the way flowers and top them off with raw, organic apple cider vinegar. Herbalists have long used apple cider vinegar as a solvent in medicine making. While the vinegar extractions don’t break down many plant constituents as effectively as alcohol, they do extract sugars, tannins, glycosides, bitter compounds, alkaloids, vitamins, and minerals.
- If you use a glass jar with a metal lid, be sure to use parchment or wax paper between the jar and lid, otherwise the vinegar will eat away at the metal.
- Infuse your blossoms for a minimum of 2–4 weeks. If you harvest pink blossoms, your liquid will turn a gorgeous goldeny-fuschia color.
- When you’re ready, pour off and strain the cherry blossom vinegar for a treat that contains the energy of early spring. I like to give the infused flowers back to the earth or add them to salads or as a garnish for drinks.
So this spring, I encourage you to get outside and relish the cherry blossoms and their brief moment of bloom. Notice how you feel in their presence. These delicate flowers are fleeting and remind us to savor each precious moment of our lives.
Now I’d love to hear from you…
Are cherry blossoms growing near you?
Have you ever made cherry blossom vinegar?
Please share in the comments below.
This is fantastic
Hi John
Just wondering if you have any other recipes for cherry blossom; though will definitely try this – there’s just so many around it’d be great to harvest lots and use for lots of things…….being greedy I know but as a newbie it’s a bit of a thrill – particularly after the past trying times -thank you!! And greetings from a sunny Eire
Hi Patricia, there is a plant walk on HerbMentor that discusses some of the other uses of cherry blossoms. https://learningherbs.com/herbmentor
You could make an infusion (tea) or tincture (alcohol+water).
Anyone know of a chemical free place to gather cherry blossoms in Long Island, NY or in Brooklyn, NY ???
Can you please clarify …. Are you only referring to the blossoms of cherry trees? I ask because around here we refer to all pink blossom as cherry blossom.
Hi Sue, yes, Vanessa Chakour is only referring to cherry flowers from the Prunus genus. There are a lot of cherry species but I think she used Prunus serrulata.
I live in Florida. Never really paid attention to what kind they were before but there are so many flowers blooming. I will keep an eye out for them now. Thank you.
I also would like to know if other cherry varieties are suitable. We don’t have the prunus serrulata here, but we do have chokecherries, prunus virginiana. Would those work? Thank you!
Hi Joni, some herbalists use Prunus virginiana
I wouldn’t want yo lose the cherries of some of our trees by removing the flowers. But can we use the blossoms of the decorative flowering plums that we have so many of? They tend to grow very little fruit.
Hi Helen, can you please post the latin name of the plums?
Sounds interesting. Live in South. Do you think I could do the same with Azalea blooms
Hi Ruby, can you please post the latin name and cultivar? (Since there are many species in the Rhododendron genus, and there are many cultivars).
This is wonderful and refreshing. I do not have cherry blossom growing near me. Is it possible to make the recipe with apple blossom?
xo
Hi Nidhi, Malus domestica blossoms are edible in small amounts, however, they should not be eaten in excess (because of its chemistry; can cause major digestive issues). I have never tried it in vinegar (so not sure about its properties), but maybe try it and see how it turns out (just only use small amounts at a time)!
I have been wondering what I can use instead use instead of apple cider vinegar or vinegar when making these recipes as I get bad heartburn with vinegars.
Hi Judy, some people enjoy cherry blossom infusion (an infusion is a strong herbal tea), or a tincture (alcohol+water).