Edible Flowers

Pictured: Edible Flowers in a Salad

By: Kathy Sadowski, Master of Science Degree in Aromatherapy, Registered Aromatherapist, LMT

As we head into Spring and Summer, edible flowers offer a gorgeous and delicious way to spruce up a salad, garnish a drink, and decorate cupcakes.  Make sure to use organically grown, avoiding pesticides, herbicides, and pollution.  Pick and very gently rinse blooms before use.

Here is a list of some popular edible flowers:

• Calendula / Marigold (Calendula officinalis) – colorful and mild tangy flavor
• Sweet William (Dianthus Barbatus) – variety of pink hues and a mildly sweet taste
• Pansy (Viola wittrockiana) – Velvety texture with lettuce flavor
• Viola (Viola cornuta) and Johny Jump Up (Viola tricolor) are mini-pansies
• Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) – tastes sweet and herbaceous
• Daisy (Bellis perennis) – mildly bitter
• Rose Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) – velvety with a rosy citrus flavor
• Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) – frilly petals are sweet and mildly sharp
• Clover (Trifolium ssp.) – sweet and don’t overeat
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis)- sweet and sunny
• Queen Ann’s Lace / wild carrot (Daucus carota) – strong and carrot flavored
• Snapdragon (Antirrhinum ssp.) – snappy and sweet
• Bachelor’s buttons (Centaurea cyanus) – brilliant color and lettuce like flavor
• Borage (Borago officinalis) – blue star flowers with a cucumber melon flavor
• Hibiscus Hibiscus (Rosa-sinensis) – strongly bitter, makes a delicious red hued tea
• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) – amazing orange and yellow hues and a spicy sweet flavor
• Cornflower (Centaurea cynaus) – beautiful opaque blue and slightly sweet
• Sunflower (Helianthus annus) – sunshiny and bittersweet
• Stock (Matthiola incana) – fragrant aroma carries over into the flavor
• Passionflower – (Passiflora ssp.) – colorful with a sweet fruity taste
• Rose (Rosa ssp.) – sweet with flavors varying with species
• Primrose (Primula vulgaris ) – tastes mild and sweet

Hungry for more?  Try this Flower Power Salad Recipe.  Or, for more information, here are some interesting links:

• http://www.eattheweeds.com/edible-wild-flowers/
• https://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm
• https://porch.com/advice/steps-to-an-edible-flower-garden

Updated: 2/18/2020