Please Eat the Daisies and Other Edible Flowers Part I
By Arlene Wright Correll

I have always been intimidated by edible flowers. They aren’t a new phenomenon, but garnishes of fresh flowers tend to intimidate diners, including me. I was never sure if the flowers are there for decoration or to be eaten. Even if they are to be eaten, I often wonder if they will taste good, or like parsley, be better left on the plate, even though I personally like parsley.

There are several flowers blossoms that can be enjoyed both fresh and cooked. It’s hard to find edible flowers to purchase, but quite easy to grow most of them in your garden. Since flowers are best when eaten soon after harvest, growing your own edible flowers makes even more sense.

One needs to really use caution when choosing edible flowers. Only eat flowers when you are absolutely certain they are edible. Just because a flower is used as a garnish, doesn’t mean it’s edible. Never eat a flower that has been treated with a pesticide that was not labeled for use on food products. Always follow the pesticide label instructions for harvesting. Never eat flowers from florists, nurseries or roadsides. Do not eat flowers picked from the side of the road. Once again, possible herbicide use eliminates these flowers as a possibility for use. Many grocery stores and gourmet markets now sell edible flowers. If you are choosing homegrown flowers to eat, be certain you know your flowers as not all flowers are edible. Some can cause serious stomach problems and some are quite poisonous. Pick homegrown flowers in the morning or late afternoon when the water content is high.

There are some little tricks to harvesting and storing edible flowers. For most flowers listed as being edible, they are referring to the petals only. Remove the pistils and stamens before eating as well as any attached sepals. Expect the flavor of edible flowers to vary seasonally and with growing location. Edible flowers should ideally be harvested in the cool, morning hours. If you are not going to be using the flowers immediately, cut them with the stems in tact and keep them in water. You could also store them in damp paper towels, in the refrigerator.

Select flowers that are freshly-opened, perky and free of any bug-eaten or diseased spots. Normally, the petals are the only portion to be eaten, with the notable exception of safflower and crocus (saffron) whose stigma are prized as an herb. Be sure to wash flowers thoroughly by bathing them gently in a bath of salt water. Perk them up by dropping into a bowl of ice water for 30-60 seconds, and drain on paper towels. Then carefully remove petals or other parts to be consumed. You may wish to trim off the whitish part of the petal where it connects to the stem as it can often be bitter. It’s best to store flowers whole in a glass of water in the refrigerator until you need to use them. You can store petals for a day in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, but your optimum goal should be to use them within a few hours.

Some researchers say edible flowers are extremely fragile and cannot be conserved in the refrigerator, and thus must be consumed as quickly as possible. While waiting to cook the flowers, place the stems in a bit of water to keep them fresh. When ready to prepare them, delicately rinse each flower in cold water, and then dry them, carefully blotting each piece with paper towel. Remove the stems, using a knife if necessary, and then, using tweezers, gently take off the pistil, petals and small leaves. You may have to just experiment with your edible flowers to see what works for you.

You may have a lot of edible flowers growing in your garden all ready and you don’t even know it.
Chervil flowers are delicate white flowers with an anise flavor. Chervil’s flavor is lost very easily, either by drying the herb, or too much heat. That is why it should be added at the end of cooking or sprinkled on in its fresh, raw state.

Chicory - Earthy flavor, eat either the petals or the buds. Chicory has a pleasant, mild-bitter taste that has been compared to endive.

Chrysanthemums: Tangy, slightly bitter, ranging in colors from red, white, yellow and orange. They range in taste from faint peppery to mild cauliflower. They should be blanched first and then scatter the petals on a salad. The leaves can also be used to flavor vinegar. Always remove the bitter flower base and use petals only. Young leaves and stems of the Crown Daisy, also known as Chop Suey Greens or Shingiku in Japan, are widely used in oriental stir-fries and as salad seasoning.

Cilantro/Cilantro - Like the leaves and seeds, the flowers have a strong herbal flavor. Use leaves and flowers raw as the flavor fades quickly when cooked. Sprinkle to taste on salads, bean dishes, and cold vegetable dishes.

Citrus blossoms (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, kumquat) - Use highly scented waxy petals sparingly. Distilled orange flower water is characteristic of Middle Eastern pastries and beverages. Citrus flavor and lemony.

Clover - Sweet, anise-like, licorice.
Cornflower - Also called Bachelor’s button. They have a slightly sweet to spicy, clove-like flavor. Bloom is a natural food dye. More commonly used as garnish.
Dandelions - Member of Daisy family. Flowers are sweetest when picked young, and just before eating. They have a sweet, honey-like flavor. Mature flowers are bitter. Good raw or steamed. Also made into wine. Young leaves taste good steamed, or tossed in salads. When serving a rice dish use dandelion petals like confetti over the rice.

Daylilies - Slightly sweet with a mild vegetable flavor, like sweet lettuce or melon. Their flavor is a combination of asparagus and zucchini. Some people think that different colored blossoms have different flavors. To use the surprisingly sweet petals in desserts, cut them away from the bitter white base of the flower. Also great to stuff like squash blossoms. Flowers look beautiful on composed salad platters or crowning a frosted cake. Sprinkle the large petals in a spring salad. In the spring, gather shoots two or three inches tall and use as a substitute for asparagus. NOTE: Many Lilies contain alkaloids and are NOT edible. Day Lilies may act as a laxative.

Dill: Tangy; like leaves but stronger. Use yellow dill flowers as you would the herb itself - to season hot or cold soups, seafood, dressings or dips. Seeds used in pickling and baking.
Elderberry - The blossoms are a creamy color and have a sweet scent and sweet taste. When harvesting elderberry flowers, do not wash them as that removes much of the fragrance and flavor. Instead check them carefully for insects. The fruit is used to make wine. CAUTION: All other parts of this plant are poisonous! Do not even eat the stems of the flowers!

English daisy: The flowers have a mildly bitter taste and are most commonly used for their looks than their flavor. The petals are used as a garnish and in salads.
Fennel - Lovely, star-burst yellow flowers have a mile anise flavor. Use with desserts or cold soups, or as a garnish with entrees.

Fuchsia - Blooms have no distinct flavor. Explosive colors and graceful shape make it ideal as garnish.
Gardenia - Intensely fragrant light cream-colored blossom used for decorative purposes. In the Far East, dried gardenia blossoms impart fragrance to jasmine tea.
Garden Sorrel - Sorrel flowers are tart, lemon tasting. So use like a lemon: on pizza, a salad topping, in sauces, over cucumber salads.
Geranium -

Gladiolas - Flowers (anthers removed) have a nondescript flavor (taste vaquely like lettuce) but make lovely receptacles for sweet or savory spreads or mousses. Toss individual petals in salads.
Hibiscus - Cranberry-like flavor with citrus overtones. Use slightly acidic petals sparingly in salads or as garnish.
Holly Hock Very bland tasting flavor.
Honeysuckle - Sweet honey flavor. Berries are highly poisonous - Do not eat them!

Hyacinth - The bulb of this plant is edible and was a particular favorite of the Nez Perce Indians. It was eaten either raw or cooked and has a sweet, nutlike flavor.
Impatiens -
Jasmine - The flowers are intensely fragrant and are traditionally used for scenting tea.
Johnny-Jump-Ups - Lovely yellow, white and purple blooms have a mild wintergreen flavor and can be used in salads, to decorate cakes, or served with soft cheese. They are also a great addition to drinks, soups, desserts or salads.

Lavender - Sweet, floral flavor, with lemon and citrus notes. Flowers look beautiful and taste good too in a glass of champagne, with chocolate cake, or as a garnish for sorbets or ice creams. Lavender lends itself to savory dishes also, from hearty stews to wine-reduced sauces. Diminutive blooms add a mysterious scent to custards, flans or sorbets. NOTE: Do not consume lavender oil unless you absolutely know that it has not been sprayed and is culinary safe.

Lemon Verbena - Tiny cream-colored citrus-scented blossoms. Leaves and flowers steeped as an herb tea, and used to flavor custards and flans.
Lilac - The flavor of lilacs varies from plant to plant. Very perfumy, slightly bitter. Has a distinct lemony taste with floral, pungent overtones. Great in salads.

Linden - Small flowers, white to yellow was are delightfully fragrant and have a honey like flavor.
Marjoram - Flowers are a milder version of plant’s leaf. Use as you would the herb.
Mint - The flavor of the flowers is minty, with different overtones depending on the variety. Mint flowers and leaves are great in Middle Eastern dishes.
Mustard - Young leaves can be steamed, used as a herb, eaten raw, or cooked like spinach. NOTE: Some people are highly allergic to mustard. Start with a small amount.
Nasturtiums - Come in varieties ranging from trailing to upright and in brilliant sunset colors with peppery flavors. Nasturtiums rank among most common edible flowers. Blossoms have a sweet, spicy flavor similar to watercress. Stuff whole flowers with savory mousse. Leaves add peppery tang to salads. Pickled seed pods are less expensive substitute for capers. Use entire flowers to garnish platters, salads, cheese tortas, open-faced sandwiches, and savory appetizers.

Okra - Also known as Ochro, Okoro, Quimgombo, Quingumbo, Ladies Fingers and Gumbo. It has hibiscus-like flowers and seed pods that, when picked tender, produce a delicious vegetable dish when stewed or fried. When cooked it resembles asparagus yet it may be left raw and served in a cold salad. The ripe seeds have been used as a substitute for coffee; the seed can be dried and powdered for storage and future use.
Oregano - Milder version of plant’s leaf. Use as you would the herb.
Pansy - Pansies have a slightly sweet green or grassy flavor. If you eat only the petals, the flavor is extremely mild, but if you eat the whole flower, there is a winter, green overtone. Use them as garnishes, in fruit salads, green salad, desserts or in soups.
Pea Blossoms: NOTE: Flowering ornamental sweet peas are poisonous. Edible garden peas bloom mostly in white, but may have other pale coloring. The blossoms are slightly sweet and crunchy and they taste like peas. The shoots and vine tendrils are edible, with a delicate, pea-like flavor. Here again, remember that harvesting blooms will diminish your pea harvest, so you may want to plant extra.
Peach blossoms
Pear blossoms
Petunia - Petunia flowers have a mild flowery taste and can be used as a garnish.
Pineapple Guava - The flavor is sweet and tropical, somewhat like a freshly picked ripe papaya or exotic melon still warm from the sun.
Primrose: Colorful with a sweet, but bland taste.

Queen Anne’s lace - Flavor is lightly carrot like. Great in salads.
Radish Flowers - Depending on the variety, flowers may be pink, white or yellow, and will have a distinctive, spicy bite (has a radish flavor). Best used in salads.
Rosemary Milder version of leaf. Fresh or dried herb and blossoms enhance flavor of Mediterranean dishes. Use with meats, seafood, sorbets or dressings.

Roses - Flavors depend on type, color, and soil conditions. Flavor reminiscent of strawberries and green apples. Sweet, with subtle undertones ranging from fruit to mint to spice. All roses are edible, with the flavor being more pronounced in the darker varieties. In miniature varieties can garnish ice cream and desserts, or larger petals can be sprinkled on desserts or salads. Freeze them in ice cubes and float them in punches also. Petals used in syrups, jellies, perfumed butters and sweet spreads.

Safflower: Its dried flowers, Mexican saffron, are used as a food colorant in place of the more aromatic and expensive Spanish saffron.
Sage: The flowers are violet-blue, pink or white up to 1 3/8 inches long, small, tube like, clustered together in whorls along the stem tops. Flowers have a subtler sage taste than the leaves and can be used in salads and as a garnish. Flowers are a delicious companion to many foods including beans, corn dishes, sautéed or stuffed mushrooms, or pesto sauce.

Savory - The flavor of the flowers is somewhat hot and peppery.
Scarlet Runner Beans Bean pods toughen as they age, so make use of young pods as well as flowers. Please note: Sweet Pea flowers are not edible.

Scented Geraniums - The flower flavor generally corresponds to the variety. For example, a lemon-scented geranium would have lemon-scented flowers. They come in fragrances from citrus and spice to fruits and flowers, and usually in colors of pinks and pastels. Sprinkle them over desserts and in refreshing drinks or freeze in ice cubes. NOTE: Citronelle variety may not be edible.

Snap Dragon - Delicate garden variety can be bland to bitter. Flavors depend on type, color, and soil conditions.
Squash Blossoms - Squash and pumpkin blossoms are edible and taste mildly of raw squash. Prepare the blossoms by washing and trimming the stems and remove the stamens.

Sunflower - The flower is best eaten in the bud stage when it tastes similar to artichokes. Once the flower opens, the petals may be used like chrysanthemums, the flavor is distinctly bittersweet. The unopened flower buds can also be steamed like artichokes.
Sweet Woodruff - The flower flavor is sweet and grassy with a hint of nutty, vanilla flavor.
Thyme - Milder version of leaf. Use sprigs as garnish or remove flowers and sprinkle over soups, etc. (anywhere the herb might be used.)

Author Resource: Resources: Excerpted from “Food For Thought Series” by Arlene Wright-Correll
For more gardening or cooking information click www.learn-america.com and click on Arlene’s Books you can download or buy my gardening & cook books. All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and we thank you for your attention to this site.