Vibrantly colored edible flowers add more than beauty to your dish, they also add nutrition!

   If you’re looking for an edible flowers list, we’ve got one for you. If edible flowers sounds weird to you, you’re not alone.  

The use of edible flowers has gone on since ancient times.  It is very important, that you know which flowers are good to eat  and which  may also be poisonous.  Just like mushrooms some are healthy and tasty while others are harmful. There are many edible flowers that you can incorporate in your dinner, adding color, specialness and health benefits. 

Most of us don’t grow up eating flowers… or do we?

Well, if you eat any of these cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, cabbage or brussel sprouts, then yes… you’ve eaten flowers!

Beyond the beauty of a delicate bloom on the plate, our edible flowers can be used as flavor components in your dishes. The peppery nasturtium, sweet borage flower and herbal lavender bloom, for example, each add a subtle nuance to the bite. 

This list of edible flowers is extensive.  Some flowers you can consume the entire flower and others, best just the petals. 

How Do Edible Flowers Taste?

Many edible flowers taste similar to their vegetable part of the plant, only stronger, and excepting for the flowers of herbs. Likely because herbs are already a concentrated and intensely flavorful edible and medicinal plant, it makes sense that the blossoms might not be as strong.

 Be Careful – Warning and Disclaimer

When growing edible flowers (in fact all edibles vegetable, herbs, fruits, etc.), protect yourself and your family by NOT using insecticides, fungicide or other poisons.  Grow organic and eat organic for your health, wellbeing and the environment. 

We’re sharing information gathered from our own experience and that of many others, however, whenever consuming any new plant or flower, avoid those in the family of plants you may have allergies to and always consult with official books or practitioners.

• Never eat flowers from a florist, unless they’re certified organic as these flowers may be treated chemically.
• ‘If in doubt, don’t’, is a good rule of thumb when it comes to eating wild or unfamiliar edibles. Just do your homework on cautions.
• Forage wild food with an expert until you’re certain of identification.

• Alliums, (Alliums) – All variety flowers (and entire plants) are edible, includes: leeks, chives, garlic, ramps, scallions, shallots
• Amaranth, (Amaranthus) – edible from seeds to stems, flowers and leaves and beautiful in the yard and garden
• Angelica, (Angelica archangelica) – leaves, stems, and seeds are also edible and medicinal
• Anise Hyssop, (Agastache foeniculum)
• Arugula – an even spicier version of the flavor of arugula leaves and beautiful added to salads
• Banana Blossoms, Musaceae – fruit, peel, leaves and pseudostems are also useful with benefits[3]
• Basil flowers, (Ocimum basilicum) – renowned for it’s leaves, the flowers are wonderful to include
• Begonias – Tuberous Begonias, (Begonia X tuberosa) – leaves and stems are also edible; Wax Begonias, (Begonia cucullata) – leaves are also edible raw or cooked
• Bergamot, Lemon; Bergamot, Wild (Monarda fistulosa) aka: Bee Balm, Oswego Tea, Horsemint
• Borage, (Borago officinalis) – edible leaves as well
• Calendula, (Calendula officinalis), edible petals with many benefits
• Carnation, (Dianthus caryophyllus), sweet edible petals
• Cattails –  (Typha latifolia) – Cattail flower stalks removed from sheaths
• Chamomile, (Matricaria chamomilla) – leaves are also edible
• Chervil, (Anthriscus cerefolium) – leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible
• Chicory, (Cichorium intybus) – leaves, buds and roots are edible
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum), aka wild onion, wild garlic, onion chives, garlic chives
• Chrysanthemums, Mums (Chrysanthemum coronarium) – blossoms and leaves are edible
• Citrus Blossoms, (Citrus) – edible flowers and leaves, used sparingly raw and cooked, esp. Asian cuisine
• Clover (Trifolium species)
• Cornflower (Centaurea cynaus), edible blossoms and leaves, fresh or dried
• Crocus, saffron (Crocus sativus) – the red stigma is used as a richly exotic spice; bulbs cooked as food
• Crocuses – other varieties
• Daisy, (Bellis perennis) – leaves are also edible
• Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) – also edible leaves great for dandelion salad and roots for dandelion tea & detox
• Daylily, Day Lilies (Hemerocallis species) – addition to the flowers, you can also eat the leaves and tubers
• Elderflowers/Elderberry blossoms, (Sambucus Canadensis) – flowers make lovely tea, fritters & more
• Fennel
• Fuschia, (Fuchsia X hybrida) 
• Gladiolus (Gladiolus spp) 
• Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
• Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) 
• Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
• Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) 
• Johnny Jump-up (Viola tricolor)
• Lavender
• Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) 
• Linden (Tilla spp.)*
• Marigolds – all edible; for best flavors, choose: French marigold (Tagetes patula); Lemon gem marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia) or Mexican mint marigold (Tagetes lucida)
• Milkweed
• Miner’s Lettuce
• Mums, (see Chrysanthemums alphabetically above)
• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
• Okra, (Abelmoschus esculentus) – edible leaves as well; see okra greens recipe
• Orchids, (Orchidaceae), all orchid varieties are edible
• Pansy (Viola X wittrockiana) – edible flowers and sepal
• Phlox 
• Primrose
• Purslane
• Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)**
• Roses
• Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius)
• Scarlet Runner Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
• Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
• Sunchokes
• Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
• Tulip Petals
• Violets
• Yucca
• Zinnia – (Zinnia elagans)