Making for a beautifully vibrant addition to many dishes, there are many varieties of flowers with edible petals. As well as adding a range of subtle flavours, their ability to make many dishes look incredibly appealing makes them a worthwhile option worth exploring. The practice of using flowers has long been done. In fact, flowers have been used in food for thousands of years, dating back to their use by ancient Chinese and Roman cooks.
In this guide, you can learn about the many different edible flowers available and how to prepare them for dishes that both taste and look incredible. Growing edible flowers for home can be very easy, with many varieties being simple to grow in your garden. Read below to find out all you need to know, including which varieties are best, how to eat them safely, and what to avoid.
What Can Edible Flowers Be Used for?
Edible flowers have a diverse mixture of uses, for savoury and sweet foods in addition to drinks. For example, edible flowers are used for cakes and many other desserts as a colourful and pretty decoration. They’re also used as accompaniments to meals or as dishes in their own right. Below are some examples of how edible flowers can be used:
- Salads: Flower petals can be added to salads to add unique colours to your bowl and offer intriguing flavours that can add either subtle or bolder flavours depending on your preference.
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Cocktails: With the already colourful nature of many cocktails, adding a floral garnish can add that extra panache to your beverages.
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Syrups: You can use edible flowers to make syrups from scratch to add unique flavours to many desserts, lemonade, sparkling water, cocktails, and much more.
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Sautéing: Some types of flowers lend themselves to being sautéed, creating a lovely combination of flavours with butter, garlic, and a range of herbs.
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Ice cubes: Edible flowers lend themselves to being put in ice cubes, making for a visually interesting addition to any drink.
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Cakes: As an elegant and sophisticated addition, flowers can be used as a garnish for all kinds of cakes, from tiered cakes to cupcakes. Common choices of edible flowers for cakes include violets, lavender, and lilac.
- Teas and drinks: Flowers are commonly used in teas to add some naturally aromatic and sweet flavours. Some examples include chamomile, hibiscus and jasmine tea, which are all commonly drunk for their pleasing flavours. In addition, they can be used for health benefits, with chamomile tea being used to aid sleep as an example.
What Flowers Are Edible?
There is a vast amount of edible flowers, meaning there are many options for you to choose from to add some colours to your plant. Most edible plants are best eaten raw, picked straight from the garden. From the wide variety of edible flowers, below are some of our favourites to add interesting flavours and colours to your food and drink.
- Pansy seeds: Pansies have a mild and fresh flavour. They are highly versatile and are ideal for use as edible flowers for cakes, salads, sandwiches and more.
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Marigold seeds: Marigolds have a slight citrus flavour, making them a great addition to everything from desserts to seafood dishes. However, their petals are potentially harmful when eaten in high quantities, so they should be eaten in moderation and occasionally.
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Lavender seeds: Sowing lavender seeds, such as Lavender Hidcote Blue seeds, will help you to grow flowers that are not only fragrant but make for a great addition when used in sweet dishes such as creme brulee or biscuits. You should start by using a small amount, however, as their flavour can become overpowering if too much is used.
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Chive seeds: Chive flowers can be used as a savoury garnish, such as in soups, as they have a very mild onion-like and earthy flavour.
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Borage herb seeds: Borage flowers have a stunning sky-blue appearance and add a pleasant cucumber-like taste to salads and when frozen in ice cubes for cold drinks.
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Carnation plants: Carnation petals have a spicy, clove-like and floral flavour. They can be used in many different foods, being ideal edible flowers for everything from cakes to soups. They can also be sauteed and eaten with meat and vegetables.
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Squash seeds: As well as the fruits of the plants, growing squash plants will produce squash blossoms that are a favourite in Italian cooking. These can be fried or stuffed with cheese such as ricotta or goat’s cheese. It’s worth noting that picking all of your flowers will result in them not producing fruit, however.
- Nasturtium seeds: Nasturtium flowers have a floral and slightly peppery and spicy flavour. This makes them a great addition to pasta dishes, sandwiches and salads. The whole flower can be eaten, though just the petals can be used instead for those seeking a milder flavour.
Preparing Edible Flowers
Edible flowers should be picked on the day they will be used and used as soon as possible. However, they can be picked and kept in a plastic bag in the fridge for several days if you can’t use them immediately.
You should lightly wash and dry your flowers by dipping them in water and gently shaking them. This can help to remove any dirt or bugs that may have remained.
Generally, only the petals of a flower can be eaten, so components such as the pistils, stamens, and calyces should be removed. The base of petals can sometimes be bitter, so they are also worth removing.
<h2>Do Edible Flowers Have Nutritional Value?</h2>
Not only do they make for an aesthetically pleasing addition to your plate, but edible flowers can have nutritional value too. Some flowers can actually be a very good source of dietary fibre. In particular, the following are examples of flowers that are worth consuming to benefit your body:
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Bare root roses: Roses are high in vitamin C.
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Pansy seeds: Pansies have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
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Chamomile seeds: Chamomile flowers are commonly used to improve sleep quality.
- Dandelions: Though commonly regarded as a weed, the entirety of dandelions can be eaten and are high in vitamin A.
Eating Edible Flowers Safely
Edible flowers can be a fantastic way to add some pizzazz to your dishes. However, you should bear in mind the following tips before eating:
- It’s important to note that you should only ever eat a flower if you’re certain of its identity. Many flowers can look similar and may not be safe to eat.
- Some species of flower may not be edible, while others from that variety may be edible. You should always research the specific flower that you are going to eat before eating it and ensure it’s safe.
- Some people can be allergic to certain plants. This may result in a reaction when touching them. If you experience this, you should not eat the flower your body has reacted to.
- Typically, only the petals of a flower can be eaten, so all other components of the flower should be removed. There are some exceptions, however, as flowers such as pansies can be eaten whole.
Flowers Not to Eat
While there are many flowers with edible leaves, it’s important to note that not all flowers are edible. Some flowers have poisonous petals and leaves. If in doubt, do not eat it.
Below are some of the most common flowers that are poisonous and should not be eaten. This is not an exhaustive list, and you should thoroughly research if a flower is edible before you eat it:
- Foxglove
- Daffodils
- Hydrangeas
- Catharanthus
- Rhododendron
- Lily of the Valley
- Oleander
- Sweet pea
- Tulip
In addition, you shouldn’t eat flowers if:
- They aren’t grown organically: Any chemicals used in growing flowers, such as pesticides or herbicides, could cause harm to your body.
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You’re allergic to pollen: If you are allergic to pollen, eating flowers could pose a risk and should be avoided as a result.
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They’re grown near a road: Pollution from vehicles near a road and other chemicals they may have been exposed to in a roadside environment mean that flowers grown near a road shouldn’t be eaten.
- They’re grown in an area frequented by livestock or dog walkers: Animal waste can contain harmful bacteria, so flowers that may have grown in proximity to this can have adverse effects.
Edible Flower Seeds and Plants at D.T. Brown
With our diverse collection of flower seeds and flower plants at D.T. Brown, you can find many great options for growing edible flowers to explore even more colours and flavours to add to your dishes. Many of the varieties mentioned above can be found in our selection to help you get started on enriching your food and drinks.
If you’d like to find more gardening advice and in-depth growing guides for a range of fruits and vegetables, you can find all this and more in our gardening blog.
To find out about our range of herb seeds, vegetable seeds, fruit seeds, or anything else in our collection, contact us today and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
