Did you know, there are edible flowers in most home gardens? Many gardeners grow plants for visual appeal and for their fruit, but many flowers also offer the same taste as their hosts.
Bachelors Button / Cornflower – (Centaurea cynaus)
Bachelor button flowers have a sweet to clove-like, spicy flavor and are a great addition to any fresh garden salad or as a colorful garnish.
Pansy (Viola X wittrockiana)
Pansy flowers are most noted for their abundance of beautiful, vibrant colors. The flowers have a mildly sweet grass-like flavor and are excellent accompaniments to salads, desserts and sprinkled on top of soups. They can, of course, also be used as a garnish.
Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)
Impatiens are favorites for any home garden and come in an array of lovely colors. The flowers offer a sweet flavor and can be added as a garnish to desserts, salads and drinks.
Signet Marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia – aka T. signata)
Also known as American Saffron, this strain of marigold has a slight citrus flavor and can be added to salads or used as a saffron substitute in dishes.
Sunflowers (Helianthus annus)
Sunflowers have an amazing assortment of edible uses. The flower buds can be cooked like artichokes and the roots can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaves, roots and flower petals can be brewed into a tea and has an earthy flavor. The leaves can also be used raw in salads or cooked liked spinach. The stalks have a celery like flavor and can be eaten as a healthy snack.
Note: Make sure you consume flowers that have not been treated with pesticides or other chemicals that are used in most garden centers or nurseries. As with any plant if you are unsure if it is edible, please be sure to research them thoroughly before consumption.
Additional resources:
https://whatscookingamerica.net
