| MadSci Network: Botany |
You have probably eaten at least one orchid. The vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia) is the source of the spice, vanilla, which is often used in ice cream and other foods. The vanilla orchid is the only orchid that is widely eaten. A few other Vanilla species are used either as a substitute or adulterant to real vanilla. Some other orchids are occasionally eaten. Often they are added to alcoholic drinks or on plates as a garnish to add color and interest. Many types of flowers are often candied. Some orchids can be eaten that way. In Africa, some orchid tubers are an important food source (see second reference). In Tanzania, the edible species are in the genera Disa, Habenaria and Satyrium. In Turkey, a traditional orchid ice cream was made from the tubers of a wild orchid. Native peoples once baked bulbs of Alaska Rein Orchid (Piperia unalascensis) and ate them like baked potatoes. If you search google.com for terms such as "orchid cookery" and "edible orchid", you may find additional information. References Vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia) Promotion of conservation of the wild edible orchids in Tanzania Orchid ice cream Native American Ethnobotany Database
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