A garden fruit you may have missed

Walking home from my village shops yesterday my eye was drawn to the number of front gardens that are currently boasting displays of late flowering Fuchsias. They come in a range of colours and shapes but they're all beautiful.

They're also delicious. Did you know that? 

All species and cultivars of the genus Fuchsia have edible flowers and produce edible berries. The flowers look beautiful when added to salads. The fruit is an epigynous berry, similar in its botanical structure to apples or cucumbers, and contains varying numbers of tiny seeds depending on the species. In South America, where the plant originated, Fuchsia berries are sold by the basket full at street markets.

The fruit develops at the base of the flower (the ovary) and swells up once the flower head has withered and fallen off. The developing berries are the green swellings in these photos (below). They mature into the dark berries you can also see. 

The berries are usually purplish or reddish black and can - depending on the cultivar - be round, ovoid or long and baton-shaped. Similarly, the taste can vary from type to type. Some are exceptionally sweet and juicy, while others are a bit more acidic or have a bit of pepper or lemon flavour. In general, the darker a berry is, the sweeter it usually is.

To determine if a berry is ready, give it a gentle squeeze. It should feel soft but not mushy. The best way to determine if you like them, or the flowers, is to take a nibble and test them out. Not your cup of tea? Move on to the next - there is a seemingly endless variety out there. 

That said, because they are a popular garden flower, many grow beside roads. If they're busy roads the plant could absorb all kinds of toxins. You also want to make sure that the owner hasn't been covering the flowers in pesticides too. 

Your best bet is to grow them yourself and enjoy both the colours and a free sweet treat.