Are Tulips Edible?

The spring-like weather in late February produced signs of spring all around the Atlanta Botanical Garden.  The Edible Garden is teeming with daffodils and tulips which raises the question, “are bulbs edible?” We eat garlic and onion bulbs but can you eat flowering spring bulbs?

Daffodils are poisonous to humans and animals, so keep those off your plate.

There are conflicting views on tulips, so I’m not going to recommend that you eat them without further research.  Many people say that you can eat tulip flower petals but caution that some people may have allergic reactions after consuming or even touching them.  During WWII, the Dutch ate tulip bulbs when times were tough.  Sounds like you could eat them if necessary for survival but stay away from plants treated with pesticides or possible fungus on decaying bulbs.  Gardeners know that squirrels find them delectable.  Maybe they’re on to something.

Along with the bulbs, a few other things are waking up in the Edible Garden.

Definitely edible!  The warm weather queued the asparagus to grow in February, usually harvestable in late March through June in Georgia.

The crabapples are budding.

Waves of daffodils welcome visitors to the Edible Garden.  This is a tiny portion of the 200,000 bulbs planted for Atlanta Blooms!