Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
Trending News
Are Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) cones edible ?
The Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum), specifically the cultivar known as Monarch of Illinois grows locally. Since Cypress and Juniper are related, is it possible to use the cones from the Bald Cypress as a substitute for Juniper berries in cooking recipes?
Other than the fact that edible products from pine trees can potentially cause miscarriages, is there anything else to be aware of?
Oh! And by edible, I don't mean munch on it like popcorn, but rather use it like one would use a bay leaf or cinnamon stick. More of a flavoring and something you'd eat.
4 Answers
- mejxuLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
Taxodium distichum is reported as not edible and its only use - beside as ornamental tree - is that resin in the cones is used as an analgesic for wounds.
The analysis of volatile oil of cones:
http://www.thegoodscentscompany.com/gca/gc1081511....
is quite different from that one of Juniperus communis:
a-pinene, camphene, b-pinene, sabinene, myrcene, a-phellandrene, a-terpinene, y-terpinene, 1,4-cineole, b-phellandrene, p-cymene, terpinen-4-ol, bornyl acetate, cayophyllene and trace amounts of limonene, camphor, linalool, linalyl acetate, borneol and nerol.
Therefore it`s not applicative to substitute it.
Other uses of Bald Cypress:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Taxodium+d...
Ps
The ingredients are not toxic or harmful in small portion as used to spice, but do you really like the taste?
Should be the best to try a driblet before ruining a complete dish.
Source(s): http://www.crescentbloom.com/plants/specimen/TA/Ta... http://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/juni... composition - Anonymous5 years ago
Depending on the type of pine tree, the cones contain pine nuts. They are deep in the cone and hard to get to. Pine nuts are an important part of the Italian dish pesto. So, some very small part of many types of pine cones is edible, but not the whole cone.
