10 Edible Flowers You Can Grow in Your Garden

edible flowers

If you’re looking for an easy way to add color and flavor to your salads, cookies and cakes, look no further than your garden. There are more edible flowers out there than you might think, and you may already have a few growing in your own backyard. Pick ’em, clean ’em and get ready for some colorful munching.

Good to Know: For safety purposes, it’s important to only use organic flowers that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. After harvesting, keep the flowers in the fridge until ready to use (they should last a few days), then wash gently. For more tips on growing edible flowers, check out our class, Designing Elegant Edible Gardens.

1. Nasturtium

These colorful annuals are super easy to grow by seed and can be found in gorgeous shades of orange, yellow and coral, making them a beautiful garnish for meals like flower salads. Just keep in mind: they have a spicy flavor, so only add them when you want a little kick.

Pro Tip: Watch out for aphids — small, sap-sucking insects — in the late summer. If they attack, spray the plant with soapy water.

2. Calendula

Calendula is another easy annual to grow by seed. They’re best enjoyed with the petals removed and sprinkled on top of greens or a hearty couscous.

3. Lavender

You’ve probably used lavender as an essential oil, but it has culinary uses as well. Add it to sugar for a bit of a floral flavor, mix into summer lemonades, or use it to decorate pretty cakes.

4. Cornflowers

Cornflowers offer that rare cobalt-blue color to the garden and kitchen. An annual easily grown by seed, consider adding their blossoms to salads or use them to decorate festive birthday cakes.

5. Roses

Yep, you really can eat those roses growing in your garden. They add sweetness to cakes in both flavor and aesthetics — sprinkle fuchsia rose petals over a chocolate cake, for example, to create an extra dramatic look.

6. Borage

Fun fact: you might recognize this flower as the garnish in the traditional Pimm’s Cup cocktail. But that’s not all it’s good for — use it to brighten up salads and open-faced sandwiches with a subtle floral note.

7. Pansies

These sweet purple, white and yellow flowers look adorable on top of sugar cookies, or when sugared and used to decorate a cake. You could even detach the petals and sprinkle onto summer salads.

8. Chamomile

Unwinding with a hot cup of chamomile tea is the perfect way to end any day, but it’s not the only use for this herb. Try using it in your baking — the bitterness of the leaves pairs well with the sweetness of ice cream and custard.

9. Dianthus

These pink petals are oh-so-sweet on cakes and cookies, or even tossed into a salad. Just remove their petals and use ’em for a subtle-yet-spicy flavor.

10. Lilacs

The next time you’re enjoying a pitcher of ice-cold water, add a few lilac blossoms. The fragrance alone will make your summer sipping even more enjoyable.

Comments
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23 Responses to “10 Edible Flowers You Can Grow in Your Garden”

  1. Guido Debono

    Very interesting subject as many chef’s are including these edible flowers in their dishes.

    Reply
  2. Ms. Linda

    Great article. I also grow marigolds, wild violets, and snapdragons to add to salads, cocktails, and other drinks. I’ve read a lot about edible daylilies but haven’t tried them, yet.

    Reply
  3. Gillian Roebuck

    I may be a little thick but when you say remove petals which part are you supposed to eat? Petals or stamen

    Reply
    • Debbie

      I’m a lot thick! A lot of recipes these days leave out the details and I don’t find out until I’m in the middle of it! Need to know!😁

      Reply
  4. Roula

    I enjoyed reading every word and many thanks for this wonderful and interesting topic. I am looking forward for more.

    Reply
  5. Henny

    Thank you very much for this interesting topic. I would like to know more. I have my birthday tomorrow and a bbq on Saturday. I would like to use the flowers in salads etc.

    Reply
  6. Claude LeBlanc

    Flowers have a pepper/cucumber edge in taste… However, I let them grow to seed… I add those in a salad, like you would do with nuts, cashews… But that peppery taste is unlike… Use them while green, not dry

    Reply
  7. Cherry Roomes

    Learned some new ones 😀 but did you know that violets taste beautiful as well 😁

    Reply
  8. Sandi Hodge

    I love flowers , All flowers , Edible are the best, they add a spicy wonderful taste to Chicken especially. Thank you so much, you are appreciated and very knowledgeable.

    Reply