33 Edible Flowers: How to Use Edible Flowers

Edible flowers are any flowers that humans can safely consume. Flowers have been used in cooking since antiquity. Their colorful appearance can add an appealing accent of color to any dish, and some lend tasty flavor profiles to the recipes they garnish. The plants that produce edible flowers aren’t always fully consumable, but you can use the petals on their own in many creative ways.

Consider incorporating some of these flowers into your cooking.

1. 1. Rose: Rose petals have a tender texture and a mild, floral flavor. Avoid eating the white parts of the petals, which can be bitter, or any other part of the plant. Make sure to harvest rose petals from bushes that haven’t been exposed to chemicals or pesticides.
2. 2. Lavender: Lavender petals are extremely fragrant, so it’s best to dry them or use fresh flower petals sparingly in your cooking.
3. 3. Nasturtiums: These flowers have a peppery taste similar to watercress and can be added to salads. Both the flower petals and leaves are edible, and the fresh seeds can be pickled and substituted for capers in many recipes.
4. 4. Violas: The Viola genus of flowers includes violets, pansies, and Johnny-jump-ups. They make for popular cake decorations.
5. 5. Pansies: These edible flowers have a mildly sweet flavor that is accented with minty wintergreen. They pair well with fruit salads, soups, cocktails, and desserts. You can eat pansies in their entirety—including the sepals.
6. 6. Pot marigolds: Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) is the common name for a type of marigold that has bright yellow flowers and a peppery, citrusy, tangy taste. Avoid eating French marigolds (Tagetes patula), which are dangerous for humans and animals to consume in large amounts.
7. 7. Apple blossoms: Apple blossoms of the Malus genus have a floral taste that pairs well with fruit dishes or salads. Avoid picking apple blossoms from fruit trees sprayed with pesticides. Eat organic apple blossoms in moderation as they contain low levels of hydrocyanic acid.
8. 8. Chamomile: These flowers resemble daisies and are typically dried and steeped in hot water to make chamomile tea. Fresh chamomile flowers pair well with salads or soups.
9. 9. Hibiscus: This flower has a citrusy, tart flavor akin to cranberry. You can dry the petals to make tea or use fresh petals in fruit salads and desserts. Be aware this flower does produce a lot of bright yellow pollen.
10. 10. Broccoli flowers: The tops of broccoli are actually the buds of the Brassica oleracea plant and will eventually produce bright yellow flowers you can eat.
11. 11. Chrysanthemum: You can dry the many petals of chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum coronarium) for tea or add the leaves and stems to some Asian cuisines like Chinese stir-fry. They have a peppery flavor and come in an array of colors from orange and red to light yellow and white.
12. 12. Daylily: Daylilies are large flowers in the Hemerocallis genus that have sweet-tasting petals that have a mild cucumber-melon taste. Use them sparingly in salads, and be sure to cut the petals away from the base of the flower, which is a bitter part of the plant.
13. 13. Fennel: This mild licorice or anise-flavored flower can be used with main savory dishes or added to hearty soups.
14. 14. Carnation: Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) flower petals are very sweet and should be cut away from the bitter base of each flower. They carry a mild flavor of nutmeg and clove.
15. 15. Artichoke: The artichoke is technically a flower, though you typically only eat the tender part of the leaves and heart and throw away the thistle.
16. 16. Sage: Sage plants (Salvia officinalis) produce pink, white, or violet-blue flowers that have a subtler taste than their leaves. They can be sauteed or added as a garnish to salads.
17. 17. Dandelion: Common as a weed but entirely edible, dandelion flower buds are actually sweet with a hint of honey, and you can eat their greens raw or cooked. Though it may be tempting to pick them from the roadside, it’s best to harvest them from gardens where they’ve been raised free of chemicals.
18. 18. Chives: Most home cooks are familiar with chive stalks, but their ball-shaped flowers are edible as well. Chive blossoms appear in the spring as clusters of tiny florets that have a slight onion flavor. Sprinkle the tiny petals on soups or salads.
19. 19. Garlic: The pinkish-white flowers of garlic plants are edible and can add a mild garlic flavor to savory dishes and pesto sauces. They are particularly fragrant when sauteed in butter.
20. 20. Basil: Basil flowers can be white to deep purple and make a striking topping for salads or pasta.
21. 21. Arugula: Known colloquially as garden rocket or roquette, arugula flowers are small and white and have a similar taste to their popular leaves. Use their pepper-flavored blooms in salads or sandwiches.
22. 22. Honeysuckle: Honeysuckle flowers are typically sweet, and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) tastes like honey. Be sure not to consume honeysuckle berries or any other part of the plant because it is toxic to humans.
23. 23. Borage: This herb has furry leaves and blue flowers that are reminiscent of stars or fireworks. Both taste refreshing like cucumber and can be used in summer drinks, cool desserts, or as an eye-catching garnish.
24. 24. Lilac: Lilacs can vary in flavor but in general are characterized by a slightly bitter, lemony, floral flavor and scent. You don’t need very many lilac flowers to add a distinctive splash of color and flavor to a salad or summer drink.
25. 25. Begonia: The wax and tuberous begonia varieties have edible flowers that are highly citrus flavored. People dealing with gout, kidney stones, or rheumatism should avoid the tuberous begonia flowers because they have a high oxalic acid content.
26. 26. Anise hyssop: Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), or licorice mint, has rich purple tubes of blossoms that taste like licorice and can be scattered in salads or cocktails.
27. 27. Cornflower: The striking, electric blue hue of the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) has a clove-like flavor that has subtle sweetness and spiciness. The petals add a memorable color to salads and fancy drinks.
28. 28. Dill: Dill flowers can be added to fish, vegetable, or egg dishes and are even stronger in taste than its leaves. Use dill flowers when freshly bloomed as these blossoms begin to seed soon after opening.
29. 29. Bergamot: The wild variety (Monarda fistulosa) is also known as bee balm. Its leaves have a strong mint flavor with notes of citrus and oregano.
30. 30. Mint: Flowers of plants in the Mentha genus have a minty taste, though exact flavors will vary slightly based on the variety of mint you’re growing.
    
31. 31. Squash blossoms: Squash blossoms can come from any summer squash—not just zucchini. When growing zucchini plants, harvest male flowers since they will not produce fruit. You can cook squash blossoms using a variety of techniques, though stuffing and frying them is the most popular method.
32. 32. Geranium: Most varieties of scented geranium—with the exception of the ‘Citronella’ cultivar—are edible and have a strong citrus fragrance. These flowers are great when crystallized and added to desserts.
33. 33. Hollyhock: Technically edible though lacking in flavor, these large and brilliantly colored blooms make for great decorations.

Consider a few ways to use edible flowers in everyday cooking and special occasions.

1. 1. Flower ice cubes: Freeze small whole flowers or cut petals into ice cubes to create a distinctive and gorgeous addition to summer punches or drinks.
2. 2. Flavored oils: Flowers can make an attractive and flavorful ingredient in oil or butter infusions. Flowers can also be a great addition to jams, marinades, jellies, and vinaigrettes.
   
3. 3. Crystalized flowers: Candied flowers are simple to make and can make for a beautiful adornment for cakes and other desserts. Paint a mixture of beaten egg whites and superfine granulated sugar onto rose petals or any other edible flower and let the petals dry at room temperature.
4. 4. Garnish for desserts: Edible flower petals can be sprinkled over ice cream or added to pastries and cupcakes to add color and flavor.
5. 5. Garnish for salads: Nasturtium flowers, pansies, and other edible flowers with peppery undertones can easily bring color and spice to any salad. Harvest edible flowers in the early morning (when their water content is highest) and place them on a paper towel inside of a sealed container. You can use them right away or store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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