Fruits, Vegetables... What about the Flowers? Eat the flowers, Man!
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Edible Flowers...
This is not an extensive list by any degree. I will add to it and include links to recipes as and when I get time.
What it is, is an introduction to what you can eat in the way of flowers. It would be much easier to list all the flowers you can't eat. There are flowers that are commonly eaten that have not been listed for reasons of safety (Tansy, for example, has abortive properties but is otherwise safe in small amounts. Hence it's other common name "Bitter buttons") or due to my lack of knowledge in this area of wild food.
The common names used are the ones that I know the plants by, I live in England so there may be some differences (we call it Marjoram, the Americans call it Oregano and when we do call it Oregano we pronounce it "ori-gano" not "oreg-ano", sorry.), that's why the Latin names are listed too.
I will leave it up to you to decide how to prepare the flowers, eaten raw (day lillies), crystallised (violets), made into sweet flower fritters (elder), or prepared like globe artichokes (milk thistle).
One last thing. Please, do not pick wild flowers unless they are in abundance. Stripping a patch of plants of their flowers may mean they won't grow back next year. Also make sure they havn't been sprayed with anything nasty.
Oh, and always make sure you know what you're eating and that it is safe to do so, don't just take my word for it.
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Alexanders (Smyrnium olustratum)
Begonia (Begonia tuberosa)
Borage (Borago officianalis)
Broom (Sarothamnus scoparius)
Carnation (Dianthus sp)
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Clary (Salvia sclaria)
Courgette (Cucurbita pepo)
Colts foot (Tussilago farfara)
Cowslips (Primula veris)
Crab-apple (Malus sylvestris)
Dandelion (Taxacarum officinale)
Day Lilies (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus)
Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Elder (Sambucus nigra)
False Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Geraniums (Pelargonium cultivars)
Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)
Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum)
Lavender (Lavendula officinalis)
Lesser Celandine (Rununculus ficaria)
Lemon Verbena (Lippia citriodora)
Lime (Tilia vulgaris)
Marigolds (Calendula officinalis)
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
Medowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana)
Passionflower (Passiflora edulis)
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Primulas (Primula sp)
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Rose (Rosa sp)
Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sloe (Prunus insititia)
Stemless Thistle (Carlina acaulis)
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Sunflower (Helianthus ??)
Sweet Violet (Violata odorata)
Tulip (Tulipa edulis)
Violet (Viola sp)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)
Yucca (Manihot esculenta)
Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare)
Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum)
Wild Rose (Rosa canania)
This is not an extensive list by any degree. I will add to it and include links to recipes as and when I get time.
What it is, is an introduction to what you can eat in the way of flowers. It would be much easier to list all the flowers you can't eat. There are flowers that are commonly eaten that have not been listed for reasons of safety (Tansy, for example, has abortive properties but is otherwise safe in small amounts. Hence it's other common name "Bitter buttons") or due to my lack of knowledge in this area of wild food.
The common names used are the ones that I know the plants by, I live in England so there may be some differences (we call it Marjoram, the Americans call it Oregano and when we do call it Oregano we pronounce it "ori-gano" not "oreg-ano", sorry.), that's why the Latin names are listed too.
I will leave it up to you to decide how to prepare the flowers, eaten raw (day lillies), crystallised (violets), made into sweet flower fritters (elder), or prepared like globe artichokes (milk thistle).
One last thing. Please, do not pick wild flowers unless they are in abundance. Stripping a patch of plants of their flowers may mean they won't grow back next year. Also make sure they havn't been sprayed with anything nasty.
Oh, and always make sure you know what you're eating and that it is safe to do so, don't just take my word for it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexanders (Smyrnium olustratum)
Begonia (Begonia tuberosa)
Borage (Borago officianalis)
Broom (Sarothamnus scoparius)
Carnation (Dianthus sp)
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Clary (Salvia sclaria)
Courgette (Cucurbita pepo)
Colts foot (Tussilago farfara)
Cowslips (Primula veris)
Crab-apple (Malus sylvestris)
Dandelion (Taxacarum officinale)
Day Lilies (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus)
Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Elder (Sambucus nigra)
False Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia)
Geraniums (Pelargonium cultivars)
Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)
Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum)
Lavender (Lavendula officinalis)
Lesser Celandine (Rununculus ficaria)
Lemon Verbena (Lippia citriodora)
Lime (Tilia vulgaris)
Marigolds (Calendula officinalis)
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)
Medowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana)
Passionflower (Passiflora edulis)
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Primulas (Primula sp)
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Rose (Rosa sp)
Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sloe (Prunus insititia)
Stemless Thistle (Carlina acaulis)
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Sunflower (Helianthus ??)
Sweet Violet (Violata odorata)
Tulip (Tulipa edulis)
Violet (Viola sp)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)
Yucca (Manihot esculenta)
Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare)
Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum)
Wild Rose (Rosa canania)
