Vegetable Hummingbird (Sesbania grandiflora)

Family: Fabaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

A short-lived and fast-growing plant with loose branches and open crown, Vegetable Hummingbird (Sesbania grandiflora) can grow up to 15 m in height and 30 cm in bole diameter usually in East Asia. The leaves are rounded, the flowers are red and oblong, and the fruits are flat, long, and thin. It serves many purposes and one of which is as food. The flowers, seedpods, young leaves and shoots can be consumed raw or cooked.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Nuts/Seeds, Leaves, Shoots, Flowers

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Rich in sugar and iron, with a flavour like mushrooms. — Flowers - raw or cooked.; Added to salads, boiled as a potherb, fried or used in curries.; Considered a delicacy in India.; Rich in sugar and iron, with a flavour like mushrooms.

Habitat & North American Range

Dry wasteland and roadsides. (Zone 9)