Edible flowers from the garden bloom my salads!

Edible flowers

Many of us grow flowers for beauty in our gardens. What we often don’t know is that many of them are also edible. As most flowers are heat-sensitive, eating them in salads is ideal. Give a child a salad decorated with flowers just to see their eyes light up. Alternatively, these edible flowers can be used to decorate cold desserts, and many are strong enough to decorate plates of cooked food (provided they are added after cooking). They’ll make any dish memorable. My five-year-old niece still tells me, a year later, about the pizza decorated with “princess flowers”.

Here is a list of flowers that have the potential to go from your garden to your plate.

My favorite salad flowers

Bee Balm

Bee Balm or bergamot, from the Lamiaceae family(M. fistulosa and M. didyma): the fistulosa and dydima varieties have similar tastes. I pick mainly according to the color I want to add to my dish. All you have to do is pluck the small, very colorful (mauve or red) bilabiate flowers from the pseudocapitulum. Their slightly spicy taste is somewhere between sage and mint, with a hint of citrus. In addition to salads, it’s also excellent on desserts (it goes equally well with chocolate and vanilla ice cream). The leaves are also edible, but their taste is more intense. I use them for herbal teas, or chop them finely in salads.

The Roses

Rose petals(Rosa spp.) (caution – remove the inedible core): their flavor is delicate, their fleshy, velvety texture perfect. The easiest way is to wait until the flower is fully open (and ideally already fertilized) before picking the petals, sparing the flower’s reproductive organs for later enjoyment of the fruit. Naturally, only harvest organically-grown roses.

Daylilies and Lilies

Daylily petals(Hemerocallis spp.): I love daylilies, and suggest you try the different varieties, each with its own unique taste. The taste is delicious, the petal is crunchy and fleshy, and as the flower is ephemeral (1 to 2 days), eating it only reduces its lifespan by a few hours… so why go without? Another delicious appetizer is small shrimps mixed with mayonnaise, which fill the daylily petals. Lilies are even tastier than daylilies, but as they bloom longer, I’m reluctant to pick them for the fleeting pleasure of my salad.

The most beautiful edible flowers

Chicory

The brilliant blue flowers of wild chicory(Cichorium intybus) are a little bitter, but truly magnificent. Note that the young leaves (well before flowering) are also tasty in salads, but more bitter than those of their chicory cousins.

Echinacea

The petals of the various Echinaceas(Echinacea spp.) are edible; they have little taste, but offer pretty colors.

Echinacea leaves are also edible and very pleasantly scented, but they’re a little too rough; I only use the young leaves, and even then, finely chopped to hide the Velcro-like texture.

Wild Pansy

Known for its mild, green taste, the wild pansy (viola tricolore) adds color and texture to salads. Its taste is mild and green, so you can add it without fear of displeasing or changing the taste harmonies of the salad. This plant flowers long and abundantly, so you don’t need to strip the garden too much for each salad.

The Daisy

Daisy petals(Leucanthemum vulgare) can be added to salads, but it’s the leaves that win awards for this use: crunchy, with a taste that’s not overpowering, but still a little unusual. Finally, like the dandelion, the flower buds can be harvested and pickled, replacing capers on your plate.

Malvaceae

The flowers (especially the petals) of malvaceous plants are edible and have a very pleasant texture.

Many malvaceous plants are edible, but here are the ones I eat most frequently:

• Mallow(Malva spp.)
• Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)
• Hollyhock(Alcea rosea) – petals only.

In theory, their leaves are also edible; those of the mallow being the least hairy, they are the most interesting of the Malvaceae. However, as there is often a little rust on the plants after flowering, I mainly use the flowers in my salads. Reserve a few mallow flowers for “magic” herbal teas, which change color as they infuse.

The tastiest flowers

Sweet Woodruff

Woodruff(Galium odoratum), a tasty little spring flower with a vanilla taste, is my favorite with sweet clover for fruit salads.

Note that sweet woodruff contains coumarins. It is used to flavor or decorate a salad, not to create volume.

The Lilac

The flower of the lilac(Syringa vulgaris) is not only fragrant: it’s delicious. However, it is necessary to extract the tiny flowers from the inflorescence. To make this extraction more efficient, you can put the inflorescence in a closed plastic bag and leave it in the outdoor heat for 4 to 6 hours. Lilacs also make excellent lemonades.

Lamiaceae

The flowers of the Lamiaceae (formerly known as labiatae, in reference to the asymmetrical floral corolla of labiatae, reminiscent of an open mouth ready to receive the forager): in addition to the shape of the flower, the Lamiaceae can be recognized by the shape of their stem, which is square, and by their spiky inflorescence. This is a large family, of which all the ones I know are edible, but here I’m focusing on herbs that are fairly common in the garden, such as:

• Basil(Ocimum basilicum)
• Hyssop(Hyssopus officinalis)
• Agastache(Agastache spp.),
• Verbena(Verbena spp.)
• Thyme(Thymus spp. )
• …

These flowers require us to take the time to detach each small flower from its spike. It’s also a good idea to taste them before use: in dry weather, they become more intense!

The spiciest flowers!

They add a lot of flavor to your salads, but beware: sometimes too much. Especially for delicate palates like those of children. So it’s a good idea to taste them, and often to let your guests decide on the optimal amount to add according to their taste.

Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums(Tropaeolum spp.) are a classic. The flowers warm you with their peppery taste and fiery colors. The leaves, which are also edible, are even more peppery, and the large ones more so than the small ones. I only pick the small ones for my salads. I leave the larger ones for the plant to photosynthesize.

Lavender

The flowers and leaves of true lavender(Lavandula angustifolia) and lavandin(Lavandula x intermedia): in principle, lavenders belong to the Lamiaceae. I call them “spicy” because they are among the most intense of the Lamiaceae. Their distinctive taste is not to everyone’s taste. Some people strongly associate the smell with laundry detergent. Check with your guests and use more sparingly than most Lamiaceae. That said, if you’re looking for something different, if you’re looking for a refreshing touch, the flower and even the leaf of lavender can be super interesting.

Dame’s Rocket

Ladies’ julienne(Hesperis matronalis) is a magnificent, if short-lived, flowering plant. A flower of European origin that reseeds abundantly, it is considered a nuisance to native biodiversity in Quebec. Not only is the government urging you not to plant it, but also to uproot your plants. Opinions are divided as to whether the plant is really so harmful to biodiversity, but it’s clearly not in danger; so if weeds come into your garden, or if you come across it in bloom in the wild, don’t hesitate to sample the flowers. (It’s up to you to decide whether you have the courage to pull up such beautiful plants).

Yarrow

The young flowers of yarrow(Achillea millefolium) are aromatic, but a tad too bitter (they can be used as a condiment, chopped in small doses, in salads).

In any case, yarrow is a fairly potent diaphoretic plant (i.e., one that promotes sweating, ideal for accompanying fever), so we wouldn’t want to consume it at therapeutic levels.

Although the majority of research and analysis is carried out on white yarrow, there are many varieties in all colors. Many herbalists, including Danielle Laberge, consider colored yarrows to have similar medicinal properties. I deduce that they are also edible.

Alliums

The flowers of alliums (in the alliaceae family, i.e. garlic, onion, chives, etc.) are all edible. Their taste is a bit of a surprise box, as they contain varying levels of allicin, which gives them their spicy taste, and carbohydrates. You have to taste to find out what you like.

• Chive blossom(Allium schoenoprasum) is very powerful and used sparingly;
• Ornamental garlic(Allium hollandicum) is much sweeter and will suit many children who want to get used to the stronger taste of alliums;
• Garlic flowers(Allium sativum), on the other hand, are harvested when they are in bud, with the whole stem upturned… If you wait too long, the quality of the bulb will suffer. The taste of garlic flowers is similar to that of bulbs, but milder and more digestible. It can be processed (e.g. put in vinegar or frozen), but will keep for a few months in the fridge;
• As for onions(Allium cepa), they normally flower in the second year (well after they’ve been harvested). If your onions flower exceptionally well in the 1st year (often due to too cold temperatures at the start of the season), you may as well eat the flower (unless you want to recover the seed), as flowering is at the bulb’s expense.

The most surprising edible flowers

Hostas

The flowers and especially the young leaves of hostas(Hosta spp.) are excellent: they are reminiscent of cabbage, but more mucilaginous.

However, they are toxic to cats and dogs (due to saponins).

Showy Milkweed

When prepared, the (still green) flower buds of milkweed(Asclepias speciosa) are reminiscent of broccoli, but much more fragrant. Young milkweed shoots are also delicious, and can be used in place of asparagus. That said, if you’re planting milkweed to attract monarchs, you’ll need to let them flower, not give in to greed.

Several Thistles

The flowers (in bud) of thistles (Canada thistle(Cirsium arvense), milk thistle(Silybum marianum) and blessed thistle(Cnicus benedictus)) are excellent. They are harvested in bud (before the flower has bloomed) and many species contain needles that must be removed by hand with tweezers. If you’re one of those who have the patience, you’ll be rewarded with a taste that rivals that of their cousin, the artichoke.

Edible lawn flowers

Of course, the use of chemicals can affect the edibility of flowers. For example, land bordering busy roads may pose a problem. It’s up to you to determine the quality of the environment and your standard of organic purity.

Clovers

The clover flower (trifolium spp.) is interesting: light, with a slightly sweet taste, it should be picked before it turns brown and the small flowers detached from the flower head.

Ground Ivy and Lamium

Lamium(Lamium spp.) and ground ivy(Glechom hederacea) are more than just lawn invaders. Both are edible flowers! Ground ivy is considered a light aromatic. As for the lamier, its flowers are a little sweet at first, then rather neutral at the end. They’re often overlooked, even though they can be found in abundance on many plots of land and provide beautiful colors for your salads.

So much for the garden flowers I like to eat in my salads; if I’ve missed any, feel free to add them in the comments!

Contraindications of edible flowers mentioned in the article

In this article on edible flowers, only milkweed is toxic if eaten raw. That said, depending on individual quantities, sensitivities, allergies and particular conditions, before eating a flower it is advisable to :

• Make sure it has been properly identified;
• Read the associated plant sheet (see hyperlinks to photos and Latin names and select the use section) ;
• For specific situations and when in doubt: abstain.

Pregnant women

Some flowers are considered emmenagogues, i.e. they stimulate the uterus. Taken in therapeutic quantities, especially during the first 3 months of pregnancy, they may increase the risk of miscarriage. None of the flowers mentioned in this article is strongly emmenagogue: eating one or two flowers is not dramatic. But tests are lacking, and the precautionary principle must be applied.

Flowers to be avoided by pregnant women:

• Lamiaceae
• Yarrow
• Milkweed

Allergies

Asteraceae (chicory, echinacea, thistle, etc.) are part of a family that causes allergies in some people… it’s best to be informed before mixing them into our salads.

More ideas about salads

This is the second in a series of three articles. If you’re looking for unique flavours, discover the fine herbs that make salads taste so much better!

Photo credits:

• Title photo and pizza, lamier, garlic: Audray Pepin
• Rough rose: David J. Stang
• Hemerocallis: Laineypaige
• Echinacea: Ernie
• Wild pansy: Guibo
• Sweet woodruff: J.F. Gaffard
• Hyssop with anise: R. A. Nonenmacher
• Sage: Kurt Stüber
• Marguerite: Quartl
• Capucine: Mary Hutchison
• Lavender: Luc_Viatour
• Allium (decorative): Нацку
• Chives: Ivar Leidus
• Hosta: Qwertzy2
• Canada thistle: Richard Bartz
• Milk thistle: Chmee2
• Blessed thistle: H. Zell
• Clover: Ivar Leidus