Edible Garden Flowers

Edible Garden Flowers

As with all my "edible" blog posts, this one is a work in progress; so check back as I try new things and take more photographs to post.  :)

As always, when it comes to eating wild or garden plants, use common sense.  Check a few different sources and compare photos to be sure you have the right plant.  If in doubt, don't try it.  I'm not an expert.  I do research many different web sites and books and don't try something I'm not certain about.  Make sure they haven't been sprayed with chemicals.  Flowers along the roadside should be avoided as they would have pollutants on them from passing cars and other chemicals.

Flowers contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein (in the pollen).  Some are used for medicinal purposes, and I'd eventually like to get into that part more and update these with more information later if I get time.  The flowers have more moisture in them if picked in the morning.

Flowers make a nice addition to salads and as garnishes.  Crystallized flowers (also called Sugared or Candied) are very pretty to put on cakes and other foods.  Just be sure to mention to your friends that they can eat the flowers too.  :)  I did a separate blog post on how to do that with photos.  (click here)

I'm sticking mainly to flowers common to gardens here in the north, but some of the links below include flowers not common to here.  Also, these are all flowers that I will be trying myself (if I haven't already) as the season goes on; and I will do updates on how I think they taste.  :)

(At the bottom of the page, I also mention some vegetable flowers and herb flowers that are edible as well as some annuals.)

Apple Blossoms

Yep, you can eat the apple flowers.  They make a pretty decoration too.  It is said you should eat these in moderation because the flowers may contain cyanide precursors.  I can't imagine someone wanting to eat a big bowl full anyway.  ;)

Eat the Weeds has a nice article on apples. (click here)

Bee Balm

Bee Balm is said to have medicinal properties, and I'm not getting into that now.  It is used to make tea and is used in many other ways.  The entire plant above ground is edible.  You can use this as an Oregano substitute or Mint substitute.  I even read somewhere that they make candy in Europe using Bee Balm.

Dandelion

Ok, so it's not really a "garden flower,' but they are in our gardens!  ;) 

"Wild Man Steve" has a lot of info on Dandelions.  (Click here)  ...and I plan to include these in my wild edibles post when I get time with more detail about the other parts of the Dandelion that are edible.

You can do a search and find many recipes.  Here is just one I've tried, Fried Dandelion Blossoms. (click here)  They are pretty tasty.  I wouldn't want to eat too many of them, but I think they would be a great side for a burger or hot dog.  Maybe fry some of these up at your next cookout as a new interesting thing for people to try.

Fried Dandelion Blossoms/Fritter

Day Lily (Common Day Lily) 

Many parts of the Day Lily are edible.  See my Edible Landscaping post.  (click here)

I tried the flowers last year, and they were quite good.  I simply sauteed them in a little butter.  I'll try a couple again this year and do some photos this time.

  

From Eat the Weeds:  "The blossoms are edible as well, raw or cooked (as are seeds if you find any.) The dried flower contains about 9.3% protein, 25% fat, 60% carbohydrate, 0.9% ash. It is rich in vitamin A.  The closed flower buds and edible pods are good raw in salads or boiled, stir-fried or steamed with other vegetables. The blossoms add sweetness to soups and vegetable dishes and can be stuffed like squash blossoms. Half and fully opened blossoms can be dipped in a light batter and fried tempura style (which by the way was a Portuguese way of cooking introduced to Japan.) Dried daylily petals are an ingredient in many Chinese and Japanese recipes (they usually use H. graminea)." (source)

Dianthus (including Sweet William)

Dianthus

Sweet William

Sweet William

There are many pretty colors of Dianthus.  They are said to have a clove-like taste and work well with fish or as a marmalade or in soups or salads, etc.  I have many in my garden so will try them this summer when they bloom.  (You may want to take away the bitter white base of the flower.)

English Daisy

These are the small ones that grow low to the ground and are known to "invade" lawns.  Actually, I purposely scattered seeds in my backyard.  I like them in my lawn.  :)  When I was growing up, there was an elderly lady named Francis a couple of doors down, and she had them growing in her front yard near the lake.  I would pick a few sometimes.  I have a soft spot for them.

Gladiolus

(My favorite color.)  :)

Some people stuff these the way they do squash blossoms.  Just do a search on stuffed Squash blossom recipes.  I don't have these anymore.  I'm in the north and they have to be dug every fall to spend winter in the house.   

Hollyhock

I wouldn't think they are, but they are edible.  I think you could also stuff these the way they do squash flowers.  Again, just do a search on Squash blossom recipes.

Hosta

Yes, Hosta flowers are edible.  The shoots are edible too.  Oops, just talking flowers on this post!  (...and the shoots were tasty.  shhhh)

Lavender

(photo source)

Lavender can be used as a substitute for Rosemary and is used to make teas.  The flowers can be put in a salad or other dishes. 

I don't have a good photo as mine aren't very big yet, so I borrowed this one above.  "Lavender is a member of the mint family and is close to rosemary, sage, and thyme. It is best used with fennel, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, and savory." 

Lilacs

This is a photo of some of the Mackinac Island 

lilacs I took on one of my trips over.

This is also one I never would have guessed is edible.  It just kind of has that poisonous flower look to it to me if that makes any sense.  I've read that they smell better than they taste and that they vary in taste, but I haven't tried them yet.  It won't be long for them to start blooming here, so I will let you know.  They would be beautiful candied and used as a garnish though. 

Nasturtium

 I'm growing these for the first time this year, so I haven't tried them yet but have wanted to for a while.  They are said to have a peppery taste.

I don't have my own photos yet so borrowed this one until I can.  

Here is an article with a few recipes. (click here)

Ox-Eye Daisy

There are the common daises you find around roadsides and in fields.  The flowers are edible, but I think the buds and just opening flowers are supposed to be best.  I will try these this summer.  You can put the young flower buds in vinegar and make capers from them.  Also, young shoots and leaves are edible and are great in salads.  They taste a little peppery.  I tried them in a salad, and they were good.  Actually, some gourmet restaurants are said to use them in "gourmet salads".

Pansies (including Johnny-Jump-Ups)

These are a good one to candy for decorations.  They are pretty sturdy (if I can use that word) and come in many colors.  Some people prefer to take the petals off and just eat those.   I've eaten them in salads and just throw the whole thing in.  Makes a salad more interesting.  :)

Peony

Me and my Peonies.  

"In China the fallen petals are parboiled and sweetened as a tea-time delicacy.  Peony water was used for drinking in the middle ages. Add peony petals to your summer salad or try floating in punches and lemonades." (source)

  

Phlox, perennial  (NOT the smaller annual or creeping Phlox)

The perennial grows tall and come up every year, hence the name perennial.  I have many different colors in my gardens and will compare them when they bloom and do an update.  

Bright Eyes Phlox

  

Primrose

  

 These also come in many pretty colors.  The flowers can be used to make Primrose wine, and tea can be made from the leaves. 

Rose

This is a photo I took of a wild rose that grows in this area.

Who knew?  Rose petals are edible.  Rose hips are often used in tea, but I won't get into that here.  It's said the white part is bitter and should be taken off.  The petals are very pretty when crystallized.  

Snapdragon

Snapdragons are edible but are said to not be very palatable.  They vary in flavor, so I'll have to let you know this summer when I can try them.  Jury is still out.  ;)  Even if they aren't all that tasty, they would make a pretty garnish.

Sweet William

(See Dianthus.)

Tulips (tulip petals)

Another one I wouldn't have thought is edible.  :)  Some people have an allergic reaction to Tulips so try rubbing some on your skin and wait a while to see if you have a reaction and then just try a very small amount.  That's a good idea with any new plant you try really, to start with a small amount.  Cut off the bottom end of the tulip petal if it is bitter.  Large Tulip petals can be used like cups to hold foods or can be stuffed. 

Here is a recipe for Stuffed Tulips:   (source)

Stuffed Tulips

6 Tulip blossoms

6 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

4 Tbsp sour cream

2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped.

1 Tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped.

Boil eggs for 12 minutes.  Prepare the Tulips by removing the pistons and stamen inside stem.  Gently wash the flower and pat dry.  Shell the boiled eggs and chop them fine.  (Coling boiled eggs quidkly in cold water facilitates shelling.)  Add salt, sour cream, chives and tarragon.  Mix well.  Spoon egg salad filing itnto the Tulips, filling tehm carefully.  Enjoy, blossoms and all!

This web site has a lot of annoying ads but other Tulip recipe links. (click here)

Violets

(Note, African American violets are not edible.)  Violets can be put in a salad or used to make jelly, tea, syrup, vinegar.  They make pretty purple vinegar (so do chive flowers).  I'm going to try some different vinegars and use it in sweet and sour sauce.  I often times pick these and the tiny wild purple, pink, and white ones that grow in my yard to put in salads.  They actually don't have a lot of taste when I put them in salads, but they make it much more interesting and visually pleasing.  :)

Violets for vinegar.  Just pour the 
vinegar in and let is sit for a few days.

(After just a few hours of adding the Vinegar.)

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Many vegetable garden flowers and herb flowers are also edible.  I haven't looked into most of these in depth, so you need to look into it further yourself.  The edible ones are said to include Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Coriander, Marjoram, Garlic, Mint, Thyme, Runner Bean, Chive, Radish, chamomile, Rosemary, Squash, Dill, Strawberry, Sugar Snap and Snow Pea (ornamental and sweet pea are NOT edible), etc.

Squash Flowers (Did you know Pumpkin is also a squash?) are a popular gourmet food in some places.  They are stuffed with cheeses and other things and then battered and fried.  They can be used in many other ways too.

Chive

I'm going to make Chive vinegar this summer.  You put the chive heads in vinegar and let it sit for a few days.  It turns the vinegar a pretty purple.  Violets do the same thing.  For me personally, I'm thinking it would be good in  a sweet and sour sauce I make.  :)

Update:  Here is the Chive vinegar I made. 

More pink than purple...

I made Sweet and Sour Sauce with it, and it's tasty.  :)

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Also, some annuals that are considered edible that I wanted to mention are Begonias, Impatiens, and Marigolds.  Again, I didn't look into these ones in depth; so you should do a search and read more.

  

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Here are just a few web sites with lists of edible flowers:

Home Cooking... (click here) 

Edible Landscape Design... (click here)

Squidoo... (click here)

 Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog.  :)

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