Edible Flowers

But there is something else we can use our garden flowers for – we can eat them! Of course, herbs and vegetables are edible, and many trees provide nuts and fruit. But look beyond these for additional edible options.

By identifying the types of flowers that are edible and having a little fun experimenting with them in our favorite recipes, we can expand our palate considerably.

Not Just the Obvious

Many people use only the leaves of herb plants for seasoning, when in fact, if left to flower, the flowers add additional flavor to our meals.

Instead of cutting all your herbs before they flower, let a few varieties flower and harvest them before they form seeds.

Chives, onion and garlic flowers are tasty additions to a salad. Basil flowers not only look pretty in a glass bottle of vinegar, but add great flavor to a salad dressing. And dill flowers can be added to a yogurt for a creamy dressing over cucumbers.

Edible Annual and Perennial Flowers

Teas can be made with the flowers from chamomile and Asian chrysanthemums. Pineapple guava flowers are delicious and beautiful in a fruit salad.

Add some nasturtium flowers to a sandwich for crunch or a salad for an array of colors. Garnish your salad with calendula petals and borage flowers fresh from the garden.

Tips for Growing Edible Flowers

When growing anything for ingestion, always grow organically. Avoid any chemical pesticides or fertilizing and opt for only organic products.

Check that the soil you grow them in is not contaminated and keep the area clean. Do not eat any plant growing in the wild unless you are absolutely certain it is edible.

Even at home, get information on any plant you are considering eating to be certain the variety is edible.

To avoid a bitter taste from your edible flowers, remove the pistils and stamens before adding to any recipe. And wash them carefully with an organic fruit and vegetable wash.

When serving these flowers, be sure everyone is aware that they are edible and real, as people with allergies may want to avoid them completely.

Adding edible flowers to our menus opens up a lot of possibilities. Try a few interesting combinations and see how it whets your appetite for more.

More about Flowers