Hostas are delicious. Not in a weird, convince-yourself-it’s-good way (*cough* dandelion), they’re actually SO good, and I’m told that eating them is quite popular in some parts of Asia.
Unlike cake, you can also eat your hostas and have them, too! A few harvests of the shoots of well-established hostas will not maim or even alter the appearance of the plant in bloom.
The taste is mild and fresh – like a soft asparagus, or a swiss chard with absolutely no bitterness. They can be eaten fresh (in salads), or my preference is to quickly toss them in a fry pan and finish with a splash of white wine (see my recipe here).
The ideal time to harvest is when the shoots are pointing straight up, before the leaves start to unfurl. This is when they are their most tender, if you wait longer they will be more fibrous. For me this happens just before my last frost date.
- Make sure that you know the plant you are targeting is a hosta! All types of hostas are edible, but there are a few nasty plants that can resemble hosta shoots as they emerge. Lily-of-the-valley can look like slender hosta leaves, and they start to poke out in the garden at the same time. Lily-of-the-valley is decidedly NOT edible.
- Use clean clippers. I like to use my small garden shears, the ones with the curved blade. Scissors might work, but they are likely to crush and bruise the spears and I’d avoid them if possible. A sharp knife is a good option as well.
- Cut the hosta shoots at least one inch above the ground (two if the plant isn’t as well established). This is so that the leftover hosta shoot can access light and photosynthesize, keeping the plant nice and healthy despite your harvesting.
- If the plant is small and not well established, harvest no more than half the shoots.
- Rinse and enjoy!
