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    Home » Edible Wild Plants

    Lampascioni: Edible Hyacinth Bulbs

    Published: Jun 25, 2022 Modified: Feb 6, 2023 by Alan Bergo This post may contain affiliate links 14 Comments

    Lampascioni (edible hyacinth bulbs) are a traditional Southern Italian delicacy, specifically in Puglia and the Salentine peninsula where they're gathered in the spring or winter before the plants produce their purple flowers.

    Today I'll go over their traditional uses, and what I've learned about them over the past few years. 

    Edible hyacinth bulbs or lampascioni

    A few years ago I stumbled on a recipe for Hyacinth bulbs in one of my Southern Italian books.

    I worked with Italian food for about half of my career, but I'd never heard of them at all. Fascinated, I starting scanning the index of a few other books for lampascioni, and, wouldn't you know it, almost every book on Southern Italian food I have mentioned them. I've captured passages from a few books for reference in this post. 

    Typically the bulbs are boiled then pickled with extra virgin olive oil, salt and herbs or what's known as sott'olio (literally under oil) then served as an antipasti. 

    Like a lot of traditional foods, lampascioni might also go under other names: vampagioli, lampascione, lampasciuolo, cipollaccio, lampone to name a few. They're also referred to as lampascioni cipolle (onion), which is a misnomer and probably a reference to a textural similarity between hyacinth and onion bulbs. 

    Lampascioni sott olio or pickled hyacinth bulbs
    Traditional lampascioni sott'olio: pickled and stored under oil.

    There were a few things that confused me though. For starters, there's a bunch of different types of hyacinth that are foraged and eaten. Accounts vary, and I can't seem to pin point if the most common species eaten are grape hyacinth (Muscari racemosum) musk hyacinth (Muscari neglectum) or tassel hyacinth (Leopoldia comosum, muscari comosum is a synonym). 

    A description of lampascioni from Patience Grey's Honey from a Weed
    From Patience Grey: Honey From a Weed.

    After eating a few different species, and knowing what I do about cucina povera and Italian poverty food traditions, I think all of them could be eaten, with people harvesting whatever species is available to them. 

    A recipe with lampascioni or edible hyacinth bulbs

    Toxicity

    Hyacinth bulbs are said to be poisonous, but they're also a traditional food you can order through specialty grocers. Before I ate some, I really wanted to understand the toxicity of the bulbs, and how cooking and processing makes them safe. 

    Cosimic acid 

    The problem compounds in the Genus muscari seems to be comisic acid, a compound also found in other plants we eat that's been compared to saponins. For reference, green beans and quinoa also contain saponins.

    The comisic acid is said to give the bulbs their bitter flavor. Cosmic acid appears to be water-soluble, which explains why traditionally the bulbs are boiled. 

    oriental hyacinth bulbs
    Edible hyacinth bulbs or lampascioni

    Oriental Hyacinth Bulbs

    I really wanted to try the bulbs, but I didn't know anyone that was growing grape hyacinths. So, I called my local garden store, asked when they received hyacinth bulbs and set a date to stop by in the fall.

    When I got to the store and bought my hyacinth bulbs, I noticed that the label on the package said "oriental hyacinth". This seemed a little strange, so I made sure to look them up too. Turns out that oriental hyacinths are a totally different genus (Hyacinthus) than Muscari. I figured for good measure I should try to cook them anyway.

    Oriental hyacinth bulbs or Hyacinthus orientalis

    Unfortunately, looking up my Oriental hyacinth bulbs showed a bunch of articles outlining the toxicity of them too, and to make it more complicated, the compounds in the Oriental hyacinth bulbs (lycorine and calcium oxalate) were different than the bulbs in the genus Muscari.

    For reference, calcium oxalate (oxalic acid) is also found in spinach, sorrel and rhubarb. Calcium oxalate is water-soluble, so blanching can help remove or at least reduce it.

    There's plenty of poisoning examples from ingestion of Hyacinthus bulbs though, so I took a look at all that I could find. One thing that's important to know is that some garden centers apply pesticides to bulbs as they're not considered food, so make sure to inquire about that. 

    Every one of the poisonings from Oriental hyacinths I could find were cases of dogs or pets eating the bulbs raw. This might sound alarming, but raw is the key phrase here. Morels, the state mushroom of Minnesota are also toxic raw.

    Oddly, the most authoritative book I have on Italian food says Muscari bulbs can be eaten raw. To be very clear, none of the bulbs I'm referring to here should be eaten raw. See the image below for reference. 

    A description of lampascioni from the Oxford Companion to Italian Food
    From the Oxford Companion to Italian Food.

    The latex, or sticky sap from the bulbs is also said to be problematic and gives some people dermatitis, but seems pretty tame compared to the phototoxic compounds in carrot family plants that I eat regularly. That being said, some people react strongly to the sap of these bulbs, and it's a good idea to wear gloves handling them, especially if you haven't worked with them before. 

    As far as lycorine, I can't find evidence to prove it's completely removed through boiling, but, as the effects are emesis and I didn't experience any with my consumption on any occasion, I doubt that the amount left in the bulbs after cooking is likely to give anyone an upset stomach, especially eaten in small amounts as an antipasti or appetizer.  

    The Oxford Companion to Italian Food claims you can eat the bulbs raw. I wouldn't do that.

    Cooking and Eating L. comosum and H. orientalis

    Luckily my friend Ellen Zachos was able to call in a favor for me and had her friends at the New York Botanical garden ship me a box of true L. comosum. Finally I could try both bulbs side by side to compare the flavor, and hopefully not get sick. Here's my experience.

    Both species of bulb give off a sticky latex when cut, but it didn't bother my hands. I applied the same treatment to both types of bulbs: a long boil until tender, with a change of water about halfway through.

    Two different lampascioni preserves in jars
    Two different preserves of L. comosum.

    After boiling, the tassel hyacinth bulbs were still intensely bitter, and only mellowed slightly after a few months of aging. The oriental hyacinth bulbs were as mild as a cooked potato.

    To test them out, I ate 1 oz portions of the bulbs on separate days. One ounce of bulbs is comparable to how they're served as a garnish or antipasti. Afterward, I waited a couple hours to see if I could feel anything out of the ordinary. 

    Feeling fine, I ate larger portions of each bulb separately, increasing my dosage to about 4 oz each time. I had no ill effects from eating either bulb, but the next time I cook L. comosum I'll probably leach (soak) the cooked bulbs for at least 24 hours in a couple changes of water to cut the bitterness. 

    Conclusion

    Hyacinth bulbs are a well-documented, traditional food of the Mediterranean. While H. orientalis isn't listed as a traditional edible, I see no harm in sampling some of the bulbs as the compounds appear to be water soluble and removed through boiling. 

    Lampascioni are served as an antipasti in small amounts, so I'd encourage you not to eat more than a few ounces your first time trying them.

    Edible grape hyacinth or leopolida comosum

    More 

    Pickled Lampascioni

    References

    Oxford Companion to Italian Food

    The Flavors of Apulia 

    Puglia: The Silver Spoon Kitchen

    Eat the Weeds: Tassel, Musk, and Grape Hyacinth

    Are Hyacinth Bulbs Poisonous?

    Oxalic Acid in the Genus Hyacinthus

    Effect of different cooking methods on vegetable oxalate content 

    « Umbrella Polypore (Polyporus umbellatus)
    Pickled Lampascioni Recipes (Hyacinth bulbs) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ben Rosen

      June 25, 2022 at 9:34 am

      Interesting. Sometimes when I eat carrots or watermelon I turn orange . The first time it happened my hands got orange spots on them that I thought was dirt but it wouldn’t come off . After some days it disappears. But i don’t think it’s the phototoxicity or at least that I’m aware of ?

      Reply
    2. Terry

      June 25, 2022 at 1:12 pm

      If eating bulbs sourced through a flower bulb company, I would suggest being aware of the chemicals used to grow them, as it is standard horticultural practice to use systemic pesticides, some of which are not water soluble. Organic flower bulbs are not easy to find in the US. Am looking forward to trying my grape hyacinths, as they proliferate wildly here!

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        June 26, 2022 at 8:17 am

        Great point Terry, thanks for mentioning that. With the cost being prohibitively expensive, and the flavor of H. orientalis being not bitter (which I think is kind of important) I don't think a lot of people will be trying them. M. comosum is relatively common though.

        Reply
    3. Jenny G

      June 25, 2022 at 2:12 pm

      Fwiw: My Italian cookbook has 4 recipes for these - roasted, with eggs, fried, and under vinegar. There are detailed instructions for removing bitterness

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        June 26, 2022 at 8:14 am

        Awesome Jenny. What's the book?

        Reply
      • Tracey

        June 26, 2022 at 6:48 pm

        I’d love to hear the name of the book if you please? New starter of bulb eating. Would love to try.

        Reply
    4. Coop

      June 25, 2022 at 10:45 pm

      At the price of both types of these flower bulbs from a reputable supplier, I will not be eating any of them! The little flower spikes of muscari (grape "hyacinths") are also said to be edible but described as tasting like bitter grapes. Doesn't appeal to me. This year the oriental hyacinths are running 5 bulbs for $8.75, and the muscari bulbs which are much smaller, are averaging about $10-$12 for 25 depending on the variety. (Scheeper's/Van Engelen) It takes a fair number of bulbs to really show up in the garden, so I'll be planting mine instead of cooking them. It's interesting to see how many plants could provide nourishment in case of famine times, though.

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        June 26, 2022 at 8:15 am

        Indeed. It won't be for everyone, and yes, they were expensive. Cost of doing business researching traditional foods.

        Reply
    5. Max

      June 26, 2022 at 11:17 am

      A few years back my wife pulled up our bulbs in the fall to store for the winter. Within a few minutes she broke out with a terrible rash all over that she said felt like needles. A few searches later indicated that this can happen to some folks. I now dig them up with gloves and am slightly terrified of them.

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        June 27, 2022 at 9:58 am

        Yep, reactions vary from person to person but some people really react strongly to them. I should probably add a note about wearing gloves. Thanks for mentioning that.

        Reply
    6. Alisha

      June 26, 2022 at 8:59 pm

      When I was in Shanghai about 15-20 years ago, one of the favorite dished I had was a vegetable dish described as water lily root by my companions. It was lovely - a little nutty and sweet and also like asparagus. I have looked in the past to find information about it to no avail. Do you think this might be related?

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        June 27, 2022 at 9:57 am

        Hi Alisha, I'm pretty sure the vegetable you're referring to is Lotus, and most likely the tubers as they're a very common edible over there. You can buy them from Asian markets occasionally. I used to serve them at my first restaurant. They make an excellent stir-fry, but aren't related to either of the plants I'm mentioning here.

        Reply
    7. Ellen Zachos

      June 28, 2022 at 6:22 pm

      So glad to read this and know how it worked out. And I'd like to know the name of Jenny G's Italian cookbook, too!

      Reply
    8. Bonnie Boyer

      June 29, 2022 at 9:12 am

      I have some bulbs that I would be happy to share.

      Reply

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    Chef Alan Bergo

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