There is a whole world of edible flowers to delight your palate. Like herbs, there are many unique edible flowers to discover.

Some edible flowers have sour, bitter, and spicy flavors that add flavor to salads and savory dishes. This includes nasturtiums, chives, echinacea, etc. Others have a sweetness that adds strength to your dishes such as rose, lavender and dandelion.

The best way to get a real idea of ​​what they taste like is to start trying them!

How to grow edible flowers:

Growing edible flowers is not much different from growing aromatic herbs or other herbaceous plants. Most can be started from seeds, but it is best to purchase some from a local nursery.

To grow from seed, start with a sterile seed starting mix. Label your plants because they will all look the same at first. Maintain the top layer of your soil at all times and be careful not to overwater it and make it soggy. You will also want to avoid leaching or damaging the seedlings.

Once they start growing, avoid overcrowding by cutting all but the strongest seedlings in each pot. Don’t pull or you risk disturbing the roots. If you’re having trouble getting shots, sometimes a window doesn’t get enough light. Consider placing the sprouts under a grow light or try to mimic greenhouse conditions with a plastic cover.

When your plants are big and strong, harvest the flowers for fresh recipes. This is when your plants have fully bloomed, but before they wilt. Harvest with sharp, clean shears during cool times of the day, such as early morning or evening. Use them on harvest day and place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy them.

Tips before consuming a flower:

There are many garden flowers that you can eat. However, before consuming a flower, consider these guidelines:

– Only eat flowers if you are sure they are edible. Some flowers look very similar. Make sure you have identified edibility first.
– Eat only organically grown flowers. Many plants you buy from retailers have been sprayed with pesticides.
– Wash all flowers well before consuming them.
– For most flowers, consume only the petals.

If you have any doubts, don’t eat it!

10 edible flowers to grow in your garden:

1. Nasturtiums

Nasturtium leaves have a spicy and spicy flavor, while the flowers are a little milder and sweeter.

This is a popular edible flower that grows well in pots. Nasturtiums come in trailing or upright varieties and their range of colors is reminiscent of a brilliant sunset (think oranges, reds, and yellows).

Nasturtium seedlings should be planted in the spring in warm soil. They need darkness to germinate, so I like to start indoors. Once the seedlings have been thinned and are ready to transplant outdoors, plant them in full sun.

2. The roses

Roses have a slightly lemony and floral flavor. They are very fragrant and a little bitter.

Are roses edible? Yeah! Flower of love par excellence, the rose offers a sweet and slightly spicy flavor. All parts of the rose are edible.

The leaves are good to include in tea, as they have a similar flavor to black tea. Rosebuds have more flavor. Dry them and use them in tea or to flavor other dishes. You can also choose rose petals to add to salads, infuse into honey, garnish desserts, and more.

The intensity of the flavor will depend on the type of soil, color and conditions. The darker the petals, the more pronounced the flavor. All roses are edible, but before consuming them, remove the bitter white part of the petals.

3. Calendula flowers or calendula

Calendula is an edible flower with a spicy, sour and slightly bitter flavor.

Also known as “poor man’s saffron,” the flavor of calendula varies from pungent to bitter and from pungent to pungent. This flower is also a powerhouse of skin healing. Marigold’s color can vary widely in a wide range of yellows and oranges and the petals add a yellow tinge to food and a saffron flavor, hence its nickname.

Plant your calendula in the spring in a partially sunny location. Calendula loves cool weather.

4. Daylilies

This hardy ornamental plant is a favorite in landscapes as it is a prolific and ornamental flowerer. Daylilies come in many shades of yellow, red, orange, purple and white and bloom from spring through summer. Perennial plant to plant in late spring or early autumn.

Daylilies have a mild vegetal flavor similar to asparagus. Remove the bitter white base of the flower before eating them. Also be sure to try a daylily as other lilies can be poisonous and can make you very sick.

5. Lavender

Lavender tastes like a combination of rosemary and mint, with bright floral undertones.

You surely know the calming properties of the scent of lavender. The flowers of this popular herb are used for a multitude of beauty products.

Lavender is difficult to grow from seed (but not impossible) and is best grown from cuttings or purchased from a garden center. Lavender loves cool winters and hot, dry summers. Lavender likes well-drained soil and lots of sun.

Like all herbal flowers, lavender flowers are edible. They have a distinctive floral flavor with a hint of rosemary/mint.

However, be careful because not all lavender is edible. Edible lavender is lavandula angustifolia or vera or officinalis.

6. Chives

Chive flowers are also edible and taste like a softer version of their onion-like foliage.

All Allium flowers (onion family) are edible. Its flavor is generally milder than the foliage. Chive flowers have a delicious onion flavor and pretty purple petals. Harvest the flowers along with the foliage and add them to salads or make a delicious chive vinaigrette.

To grow chives, sow seeds in early spring to harvest in late spring or early summer. Chives like cool seasons, so they grow best in spring and fall, and go dormant during the summer. Place your chives in moist, well-drained soil in full or partial sun.

7. Equinacea

Echinacea has a slight peppery flavor that can make your tongue tingle.

Echinacea is a well-known medicinal plant. Its powerful healing properties have made this herb a popular home remedy for the common cold.

Echinacea is wonderful to grow because it tolerates drought and doesn’t mind planting it in poor soil. It likes bright light but also tolerates shade (but may flower less there). Start planting your coneflower in early spring or early fall.

Although most of its power is in the roots and seed head, the petals are edible and will add a colorful touch to your dishes with the added benefit of their healing properties. They have a very floral flavor and are often mixed with other herbs and sweeteners to enhance the flavor.

8. Pumpkin Flowers

Squash blossoms taste like a milder version of the vegetable and can be eaten raw or fried.

If you don’t like pumpkins, you might like their flowers! Plant your squash in late spring and direct sow into warm soil. A good trick for growing pumpkins is to grow them on hills. Plant 3 seeds per mound and thin to 2 strong plants later. Make your little hills in a square pattern.

The flowers of all types of squash are edible, but the most popular come from the male flower of zucchini and squash. The flowers have a slight pumpkin flavor and can be eaten raw in a salad or stuffed with ricotta and fried.

9. The dandelion

Young dandelions taste like honey, while mature ones have a bitter taste.

The bane of perfect green lawns is the humble dandelion. What most people don’t know is that it is super nutritious and one of the best vegetables you can eat.

However, you still need to be sure to monitor the dandelion when growing it. Plant your dandelion in a pot from early March until September. They are perennial and will grow very well.

This tenacious herb is completely edible. Dandelion flowers taste sweeter when picked young, offering a honey flavor. Avoid mature flowers as they tend to be bitter. Try frying dandelion flowers in tempera and oil. They are crunchy, salty and delicious!

The leaves can also be eaten, having a spicier arugula flavor. It is best to consume them in spring when the plant is young and before flowering.

10. Les Viola (pansy, viola and violets)

Pansies offer a sweet, herbaceous flavor. These flowers work well in cakes and lollipops!

These cool-weather favorites add brightness to planters. These flowers have a sweet, herbaceous/green flavor. Pansies are available in a wide variety of color ranges, making them a fun flower to use as an ornament.

Pansies like cool weather and will die in the heat. Plant violas in late winter for early spring and summer blooms, or sow in the fall for fall blooms. They like partial to full sun.