Edible flower can add visual interest , fragrance and flavor to your salads , cold drinks and repast . This guide trace easygoing and appeal flowers to raise and use . verify you have identified flowers right . Latin names are included since common name vary in different part of the nation .
Edible Flowers to Grow
These garden ornamentals have edible blossoms:
Begonia ( Begonia x tuberhybrida)Begonia ( Begonia x tuberhybrida ) heyday are citrus - flavored with a mild bitter aftertaste .
Bee balm ( Monarda didyma)Bee salve ( Monarda didyma ) has minty - season bloom .
Calendula ( Calendula officinalis)Calendula ( Calendula officinalis ) efflorescence are spicy and slenderly bitter .
daylight - lily ( Hemerocallis species)Day - lily ( Hemerocallis species ) buds and blossoms sample almost like asparagus . They can be laxative – consume them in moderation . Do n’t eat flush of other types of lily .
Hibiscus ( Hibiscus genus Rosa - sinensis)Hibiscus ( Hibiscus rosa - sinensis ) heyday have a modest citrus savour .
Nasturtium ( Tropaeolum majus)Nasturtium ( Tropaeolum majus ) blossoms have mild , almost mushroom - flavored petals . The rest of the flower and its stem are sharp and peppery .
Pansy ( Viola x wittrockiana)Pansy ( Viola x wittrockiana ) bloom have a wintergreen gustation .
Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus)Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) buds are artichoke - flavor .
Violet ( Viola odorata)Violet ( Viola odorata ) heyday taste sweet and redolent .
These garden vegetables have edible flowers:
Arugula ( Eruca genus Vesicaria sativa)Arugula ( Eruca genus Vesicaria sativa ) has gamy blossoms . Leaves try out bitter after plants bloom .
Radish ( Raphanus sativus)Radish ( Raphanus sativus ) flowers are peppery .
Scarlet runner bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris)Scarlet ball carrier bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) have mild - flavored crunchy efflorescence .
Squash ( Cucurbita pepo)Squash ( Cucurbita pepo ) flower are mild - flavored and tough enough to make well . harvest home male blossoms ( those with slender stems , not set on the end of tiny fruits ) . If you pick female blossoms you wo n’t get factual squash .
These herbs have edible flowers:
These eatable blossom try more or less like the leaves . Do n’t let all your herbs go to blossom ; leaf smack is ordinarily best before flowers go forth . Basil ( Ocimum basilicum )
Chervil ( Anthriscus cerefolium )
Cilantro ( Coriandrum sativum )
Anethum graveolens ( Anethum graveolens )
Fennel ( Foeniculum vulgare )
Marjoram ( Origanum majorana )
Oregano ( Origanum specie )
Summer Savory ( genus Satureia hortensis )
Thyme ( Thymus species )
wintertime savory ( Satureja montana )
These wild plants have edible flowers:
Chicory ( Cichorium intybus)Chicory ( Cichorium intybus ) has endive - flavour heyday best eat sore .
blowball ( Taraxacum officinale)Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ) efflorescence are mellisonant when bud or newly open , bitter when older .
Harvesting and Preparing Edible Flowers
Choose your flower cautiously . verify that you ’ve identify your industrial plant correctly . Do n’t eat flush from works that you ’ve treat with pesticides or fertiliser that are n’t food for thought safe . Some Extension sources urge not eating heyday from plants , which have been unwrap to untreated fauna manure in the retiring 4 months .
If you have hay pyrexia , asthma or allergies you may like to avoid eating flowers because of their pollen content . You might use only petals rather than whole flowers for avoid pollen , which can also alter the taste of the flower .
Taste - test your bloom before picking them in quantity . Use only flowers at their peak ( or buds , for some varieties ) . nibble in the cool of the solar day , after dew has evaporated . Use flower on the day when you foot them , as before long after foot as possible . Between harvest home and use place short - stemmed flowers in a paper handbag with a moist newspaper towel and lay in them in the icebox ; keep long - stem flower in a container of water . Flowers can also be dry out and lay in in airtight container for later use .
Meals with Edible Flowers
Herb flowers can be used like any other parts of the herb in preparation , or used as garnish or to flavour cold drinks . violet are also used for drink flavoring . herbaceous plant flower and hibiscus make sympathetic teas .
peak for use up sensitive , solo or in salads , let in arugula , calendula , chicory , dandelions , daylilies , radish blossoms , ruby-red runner dome flower and violets .
you may bread and fry daylily buds or squash blossoms . Squash flower may also be stuffed with high mallow and seasonings and baked or fried .
you could steam or stir - fry dandelion , daylilies and scarlet Caranx crysos dome efflorescence . Sunflower bud are good steamer than bring up - electrocute . you’re able to wangle violets as you ’d cook spinach plant .
Violets and pansies are sometimes candy and served on top of desserts . This is done by brushing them with egg white , sprinkling them with sugar and leaving them to dry on sheepskin paper or wax paper . public opinion about the safety of run through dry raw orchis white vary .
Want to learn more about edible flowers from the garden?
For a thorough overview of edible flowers check : take and Using Edible Flowersfrom NC Cooperative ExtensionA less comprehensive quick - start usher is available at : Edible Flowersfrom University of Minnesota Extension
