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Edible Flowers Guide

It's surprising how many flowers growing in our gardens are edible. Edible flowers have been used for years in cooking or as decorations for various dishes.

The Chinese were the first to experiment with flowers as food and their many and varied recipes can be traced back as far back as 3,000 B.C.

In Roman times, the edible flowers of pinks, violets and roses were used in dishes and lavender in sauces. Gardeners and cooks over 1000 years ago were already using pot marigolds and orange blossom in their cooking. Today many fine restaurants around the UK and indeed the world are using more and more edible flowers to enhance salads with their colour, texture and intriguing flavours, as well as for decoration on appetisers, starters, cakes and many other dishes.

It is always best to grow your own edible flowers, and then you can be sure that they are clean, fresh and free from pests and disease. The majority of edible flowers are always best picked fresh from the garden the day you want to use them. Growing your own also allows you to experiment and show off to dinner guests both what you have grown and what you’ve created with a colourful and tasty dish.

Even if you are not keen on experimenting with salads or sauces, edible flowers make excellent garnishes which, unlike some ‘decorations’ which appear in the guise of nouvelle cuisine, are actually nice to eat! Furthermore, as in Roman times, the flower garden becomes a treasure chest of delicately flavoured treats to scatter on your salads or to add a ‘touch of class’ to your culinary endeavours.

Edible Flowers

Disclaimer: Thompson & Morgan has thoroughly researched all the following edible flowers. However, individuals consuming the flowers, plants, or derivatives listed here do so entirely at their own risk. Thompson & Morgan cannot be held responsible for any adverse reaction to the flowers.

Click here for our edible flower recipes.

Common Name	Botanical Name	Edible Tip	CAUTION
Agastache	Agastache anisata, Agastache foeniculum	Both flowers and leaves have a delicate, fragrant taste. Ideal for adding to cakes for that hint of anise flavour, or to whipping cream for a creamy licorice flavour.	If you are pregnant, be sure to research possible contraindications to using this herb.
Apple/Crab Apple	Malus domestica, Malus x robusta, Malus x zumi	Apple blossoms have a slightly floral taste. The petals are lovely in salads. Infuse petals in whipped cream or ice cream to go over an apple tart. Float blossoms in a fruit punch.
Basil	Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum minimum, Ocimum x citriodorum	Flowers can be used as a substitute to leaves in any dish requiring basil. Flowers should be used more sparingly due to their intense pungency. Delicious in salads, soups and pasta.
Begonia	Begonia x tuberhybrida	The flowers have a delicious, light, lemon taste and crisp texture. Use sliced petals as a garnish in salads and sandwiches. Dip whole petals in flavoured yoghurt and serve as an appetizer.	Only tuberous begonia petals are edible. The flowers and stems contain oxalic acid and should only be eaten in moderation. Begonia flowers should not be consumed by individuals suffering from gout, kidney stones or rheumatism.
Biennial Clary	Salvia sclarea	Flowers have a very aromatic flavour and the pastel shades make a lovely contrast in salads.
Borage	Borago officinalis	Mix flowers into vegetable and fruit salads or use to garnish soups and decorate desserts. Excellent frozen in ice cubes and floated on iced tea. The petals have a cucumber taste and the stamens add a hint of sweetness.	Pregnant and lactating women should avoid borage flowers, as more than eight to ten flowers can cause milk to flow. Borage can have a diuretic effect and should be used in moderation, as some studies suggest that overconsumption can cause kidney problems.
Busy Lizzie	Impatiens walleriana	The flowers come in many colours and look attractive as a garnish in salads or floated in drinks.
Cape Jasmine	Gardenia jasminoides	These extremely fragrant blooms are edible and can be used to make pickles, preserves and jams or shredded and added as flavouring to cakes.
Carnations/Pinks	Dianthus amurensis, Dianthus barbatus, Dianthus caryophyllus, Dianthus chinensis, Dianthus deltoides, Dianthus plumarius, Dianthus superbus	Most pinks have pleasant spicy, floral, clove-like taste. Ideal for decorating or adding to cakes. Makes a colourful garnish to soups, salads and the punch bowl.	It is advisable to remove the white heel at the base of the petal, as this has a bitter taste.
Catmint	Nepeta cataria	The small flowers have an aromatic, strong mint/spice flavour, so use sparingly when cooking. Ideal for adding that extra bite to pasta, rice and all types of vegetables. Also complements meat dishes like lamb.	Not recommended to eat during pregnancy.
Chicory, Radicchio	Cichorium intybus	The flower buds can be pickled and the flowers themselves have a mild lettuce flavour and make a decorative addition to salads. Blooms look attractive frozen in ice and added to drinks.	Contact with all parts of the plant can irritate the skin or aggravate skin allergies.
Chinese Radish	Raphanus sativus	The radish flower's flavour is a milder version of the spicy root, making it ideal to add colour to the top of a salad or sprinkle over cooked vegetables to add a little spice.
Chives/Chinese Chives	Allium schoenoprasum, Allium tuberosum	Chive flowers have a mild onion flavour and are suprisingly cunchy. Can be widely used tossed in salads, pasta, omelettes and scrambled eggs. Or add to a white or cheese sauce to give that extra bite.	As tempting it may be to pop the whole flower into your mouth, refrain from doing so as the pungency in that quantity can be overwhelming. For garnishes and cooking break the flower into individual florets.
Citrus Trees	Citrus aurantium, Citrus limon, Citrus x latifolia	Citrus flowers are overwhelming in scent and flavour and go really well with many different foods from stir fries to puddings. Ideal for crystallising and adding to cakes.
Coriander	Coriandrum sativum	The flowers are as adaptable as the leaves in a number of different dishes. Scatter over cauliflower, add to the end of a stir fry or add to cream cheese. Scatter a few flowers over an orange fruit salad, as the flavour of the flowers will compliment the tang of the orange.
Cornflower	Centaurea cyanus	Flowers have no fragrance but a sweet to spicy clove-like flavour. Ideal for mixing with other flowers to make an attractive confetti for sprinkling over salads, omelettes and pasta dishes. Or use them on their own as an attaractive garnish.
Courgette	Cucurbita pepo	All squash flowers have a slightly sweet nectar taste. They can be stuffed with cheese and other fillings, battered and deep fried or sauteed and added to pasta. Thinly sliced blossoms can be added to soups, omelettes, scrambled egg and add colour to salads.
Cultivated Rocket	Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa	The flowers and the leaves have a spicy, peppery flavour and are delicious added to salads, rice or cooked french beans. Add whole flowers to taramasalata and serve with hot brown toast.
Daisy	Bellis perennis	Pull flowers apart for a mass of small quilled petals to create a colourful garnish on desserts or soups, in salads or savoury dishes. Also useful to decorate cakes, cookies, mousses and pates.	Avoid eating members of the daisy family if you suffer from hayfever, asthma or severe allergies, as they could trigger an allergic reaction.
Daylily	Hemerocallis	Daylily petals are great in salads, hot and cold soups, cooked and served as a vegetable or chopped and added to stir fries. Saute the buds or stuff the flowers with almost any filling.	Do not eat other types of lilies (e.g Lillium) as they are poisonous .
Dill	Anethum graveolens	Add flowers to fish dishes, omelettes or sprinkled over cooked vegetables. Add whole flowers to pickled gherkins, cucumbers or beetroots for a milder flavour than using dill seed.
Evening Primrose, Ozark Sundrops	Oenothera macrocarpa, Oenothera odorata, Oenothera versicolor, Oenothera speciosa, Oenothera missouriensis	Evening primrose flowers have a similar taste to lettuce and make a fine addition to a green salad.
Feijoa sellowiana		The flower petals have a flavour often described as similar to candyfloss. The petals are ideal added to fruit salads, smoothies, milkshakes or cold drinks. The fruits can be used in chutneys and tropical fruit salads.
Fennel	Foeniculum vulgare	The mild anise/licorice flavour combines well with fish, meat and vegetable dishes. Delicious added to cucumber or potato soup. Make fennel flower oil and use to baste pork chops on a barbecue.
Filipendula ulmaria		These rich, sweetly scented flowers can be eaten in salads or added to make homebrew wine.
Fuchsia		Flowers are in explosive colours and a graceful shape, making them ideal as a green or fruit salad garnish. Very decorative if crystallised or inserted into jelly. The berries are also edible and useful for making jams.	Before eating the flower remove all green and brown bits and gently remove the stamen pistils, as this will certainly enhance the petal flavour.
Garland Chrysanthemum	Chrysanthemum coronarium	Petals are best quickly and lightly fried in vegetable oil before adding to soups, salads and stir fries.	Only Chrysanthemum coronarium should be eaten, it is not advisable to eat any other tpes of chrysanthemum.
Gladiolus		Flowers taste similar to lettuce and make lovely receptacles for sweet and savory spreads or mousses. Toss individual petals in salads for colour.	It is best to remove the anthers: take the middle of the blossom out before eating or using.
Hibiscus		Flowers make a very popular tea. The petals impart a mild citrus flavour and add strips of vibrant coloured petals to fruit salads.	Use petals from the flower heads or use whole, but beware of the pollen.
Hollyhock	Alcea rosea	The flowers can be crystallised and used on cakes, mousses and roulades or mix them with salad leaves for a stunning dish. Flowers can also be made into a very subtle flavoured syrup and added to various puddings.	Before eating, remove the centre stamen and any green bits.
Hyssop	Hyssopus officinalis	Ideal added to soups and salads or used to make a refreshing hyssop tea. Perfect accompaniment to fish and meat dishes.
Japanese Basil	Perilla frutescens	The whole flower can be eaten, adding a spicy flavour to stir fries, chicken or fish dishes.
Jasmine	Jasminum officinale	The flowers are intensely fragrant and are traditionally used for scenting tea, but can also be added to shellfish dishes.	Only Jasmine officinale is edible. The false Jasmine is in a completely different genus, "Gelsemium", and the family "Loganiaceae" is considered too poisonous for human consumption. This flower has a number of common names including yellow jessamine or jasmine, Carolina jasmine or jessamine, evening trumpet flower, gelsemium and woodbine.
Lavender	Lavandula multifida, Lavandula stoechas, Lavandula angustifolia	There are many ways to use lavender flowers, both in sweet and savoury dishes. Make a delicious lavender sugar and add to cookies, sorbets, jams or jellies. Add to vegetable stock and create a sauce for duck, chicken or lamb dishes.	Lavender oil may be poisonous. No more than two undiluted drops should be taken internally
Lemon Balm	Melissa officinalis	The flowers are small, so ideal for adding to salad dressings or soups or added to stuffing for poultry dishes.
Lilac	Syringa vulgaris	Mix fresh fragrant flowers with a little cream cheese and serve on crackers or stir flowers into yogurt to add a hint of lemon. Useful to garnish cakes, scones or sweets.
Living Greens/Microgreens/Purple Radish	Raphanus sativus	The radish flower's flavour is a milder version of the spicy root, making it ideal to add colour to the top of a salad or sprinkle over cooked vegetables to add a little spice.
Marigold	Tagetes patula, Tagetes tenuifolia, Tagetes patula x erecta	The flowers and leaves have a citrus taste. Ideal for adding to salads, sandwiches, seafood dishes or hot desserts.	Marigolds may be harmful in large quantities. These should be eaten only occasionally and in moderation.
Marrow	Cucurbita pepo	All squash flowers have a slightly sweet nectar taste . These can be stuffed with cheeses and other fillings, battered and deep fried or sauteed and added to pasta. Thinly sliced blossoms can be added to soups, omelettes, scrambled egg and add colour to salads.
Mint/Pennyroyal Mint	Mentha x piperita, Mentha pulegium, Mentha suaveolens, Mentha x gracilis, Mentha spicata	These tiny flowers pack a real punch and add that something extra to green salads, fruit salads, fresh strawberries, chocolate mousse and chocolate cake.
Monarda/Bergamot	Monarda citriodora subsp. astromontana, Monarda didyma	As well as being colourful, the petals have a sweet, spicy flavour and will enhance salads, jellies, stuffing, rice and pasta dishes. Fresh or dried leaves can be used to make bergamot tea.	Only give flowers minimal washing otherwise the fragrance will be diminished.
Mooli Radish	Raphanus sativus	The radish flower's flavour is a milder version of the spicy root, making it ideal to add colour to the top of a salad or sprinkle over cooked vegetables to add a little spice.
Nasturtium	Tropaeolum majus, Tropaeolum minus	The fresh leaves and flowers have a peppery flavour similar to watercress. The flowers add a spicy touch to salads and the green seeds can be chopped and used with parsley as a garnish or made into capers. Try them combined with cream cheese or butter in canapes or in a cheese and tomato sandwich. Can also be used to garnish steaks, casseroles or salads.
Onion (Welsh/Spring)	Allium fistulosum	Onion flowers offer an onion flavour without the bite of an onion bulb. Ideal for tossing in a salad or for mixing in with vegetables.
Oregano	Origanum vulgare	Wonderful in tomato dishes, on pizza or added to fresh bread. Flowers can also be added to a little butter for a tasty appetizer.
Ornamental Kale	Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group)	The leaves picked while still young make a tasty and colourful addition to salads
Pansy	Viola x wittrockiana	Flowers have a lettuce-like flavour and make a decorative addition to a green salad or to garnish a pate or dessert. They can be crystallised and used on cakes, cookies or creamy desserts.
Pea	Pisum sativum	Flowers are slightly sweet and surprisingly enough taste like young peas. Delicious added to salads. Use candied flowers to decorate fish dishes or cakes. The shoots and vine tendrils are edible, also with a delicate, pea-like flavour.	Only vegetable pea flowers can be eaten, not sweet pea flowers which are toxic.
Perennial Phlox	Phlox paniculata	Flowers have a slightly spicy taste. Great in fruit salads. Also a colourful addition to any floral salad. Superb crystallised and added as decoration to cakes or desserts.	It is only this perennial phlox that is edible. Annual phlox and the low-growing (creeping) phlox are not edible.
Polyanthus, Cowslip, Primrose, Primula	Primula, Primula vulgaris, Primula veris, Primula hybrida	Sprinkle fresh blossoms in salads to add a touch of colour and a sweet taste. Flowers can be crystallised and used as decorations on cakes or desserts, ideal for that something different on Mothers' Day or at Easter.
Poppy	Papaver somniferum, Papaver paeoniflorum	Poppy seeds make a great topping for bread and are an essential ingredient for lemon and poppy seed muffins.	All poppies are poisonous. However, the seeds produced from Papaver somniferum and Papaver paeoniflorum can be eaten. The seeds of other species are not edible.
Pot Marigold	Calendula officinalis	Calendulas have a slightly peppery taste and will add a light, tangy flavour to breads, salads and soups as well as a touch of colour. They will make a bright and tasty addition to a tossed salad. Fresh or dried petals can be used as an economical substitute for saffron for adding colour to rice or butter.
Pumpkin	Cucurbita maxima, Cucurbita pepo	All squash flowers have a slightly sweet nectar taste . These can be stuffed with cheeses and other fillings, battered and deep fried or sauteed and added to pasta. Thinly sliced blossoms can be added to soups, omelettes, scrambled egg and add colour to salads.
Radish	Raphanus sativus	The radish flower's flavour is a milder version of the spicy root, making it ideal to add colour to the top of a salad or sprinkle over cooked vegetables to add a little spice.
Rocket	Eruca vesicaria, Diplotaxis muralis	The flowers and the leaves have a spicy, peppery flavour and are delicious added to a salad, rice or cooked french beans. Add whole flowers to taramasalata and serve with hot brown toast.
Rose	Rosa	As a general rule if a rose smells good, it will taste good. Petals have a delicate fruity flavour which will enhance cool drinks and fruit dishes, or why not try rose petal jam? Rose hips and petals can both be used in jellies. Crystallised flowers make attractive cake decorations.	It is best to remove the white heel from the base of the petals before eating.
Rosemary	Rosmarinus officinalis	Rosemary flowers and leaves can be used with poultry or pork. Add a few flowers to biscuit dough to add flavour.
Runner Bean	Phaseolus coccineus	Ideal eaten raw in salads, adding a mild bean flavour with a hint of nectar or add to cooked bean dishes for decoration.	Only the flowers of scarlet runner beans are recommended for eating.
Sage	Salvia officinalis	The flowers taste similar to the leaves and make a vibrant contribution to salads and pates, mustards and vinaigrettes.
Salsify	Tragopogon porrifolius	Usually grown for its nutty flavoured roots, the young leaves are also good in salads, adding a mild nutty flavour. The flower buds are picked just before they open with about three inches of stem attached. They are lightly simmered and then cooled and eaten in salads or as a garnish.
Scented pelargoniums	Geranium clorinda, Geranium fragrans, Geranium graveolens, Geranium quercifolia, Geranium tomentosum	The leaves have a powerful citrus fragrance and will add flavour to cakes and meringue roulades. The flowers have a faint citrus flavour similar to the leaves and are ideal crystallised and scattered on desserts.
Squash	Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima	All squash flowers have a slightly sweet nectar taste. These can be stuffed with cheese and other fillings, battered and deep fried or sauteed and added to pasta. Thinly sliced blossoms can be added to soups, omelettes, scrambled egg and add colour to salads.
Strawberry	Fragaria x ananassa, Fragaria vesca	The flowers retain the strawberry fragrance as well as a milder strawberry flavour. Float petals in drinks, add to salads or candy them and add to desserts.
Sunflower	Helianthus annuus	The buds, petals and seeds are all edible. Add the petals to a green salad for a colour contrast and a mild nutty taste. Green buds can be blanched and tossed in garlic butter and are equal in flavour to jerusalem artichokes. The kernels inside the seeds can be eaten raw or toasted as a snack.
Sweet Cicely	Myrrhis odorata	The sweet anise flavour is lovely added to apple, plum or rhubarb tarts.
Sweet Mace	Tagetes lucida	Use the flowers of this attractive plant in salads and its leaves in soups and stews much like French tarragon, which are more aniseed than standard tarragon.
Sweet Marjoram	Origanum majorana	Combines well with all chicken dishes and many fish recipes. Can also be made into a flavoursome hot tea.
Sweet Rocket	Hesperis matronalis	The flowers taste mildly of lettuce, making them suitable for decorating many different salads, pates and fish dishes. Flowers can also be used for crystallising or preserved in oil or vinger for winter use.
Tulip	Tulipa	Tulip petals have a sweet, pealike flavour and a tender crisp texture. Try stuffing whole flowers with a shrimp or chicken salad. Add strips of petals to salads or sandwiches for that added touch of colour.	Some people have had strong allergic reactions to tulip flowers. If touching them causes a rash, numbness etc. then they should not be eaten. Tulip bulbs should never be eaten. If you have any doubts, do not eat the flower. Carefully remove pollen and stigmas from the base of the flower before stuffing.
Viola	Viola cornuta, Viola hybrida, Viola tricolor, Viola x williamsiana, Viola odorata	Flowers have a lettuce-like flavour and make a decorative addition to a green salad or to garnish a pate or dessert. They can be crystallised and used on cakes, cookies or creamy desserts.

CAUTION: Flowers to Avoid

Although there are probably many more flowers in the garden which can be eaten safely, we would recommend that you confine yourself to trying the ones mentioned in this leaflet and avoid anything that has not been widely recommended. The following common garden flowers which are ALL POISONOUS to a greater or lesser degree should be especially avoided:

Anemone (Anemone)
Celandine (Chelidonium majus)
Columbine (Aquilegia)
Christmas Rose (Helleborus)
Clematis (Clematis spp)
Cyclamen (Cyclamen)
Daffodil (Narcissus)
Delphinium (Delphinium)
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Fritillary (Fritillaria)
Globe Flower (Trollius)
Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)
Iris (Iris)
Laburnum (Laburnum)
Leopards Bane (Doronicum)
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria)
Lupin (Lupinus)
Marsh Marigold (Caltha)
Monkshood (Aconitum)
Morning Glory (Ipomoea)
Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla)
Periwinkle (Catharanthus)
Pheasants Eye (Adonis)
St John’s Wort (Hypericum)
Spurge (Euphorbia)
Swallow Wort (Asclepias)
Thorn Apple (Datura)
Tobacco Plant (Nicotiana)