Thursday, March 6, 2008

Decorate your cake with Fresh, Organic, Edible Flowers!

Edible Flowers Chart

OK Friends- here is a list, in teeny font, of lots of flowers you can eat. And decorate a cake with. Many thanks to the NC Cooperative Extension Service and NC State University for the info.


Table 1. Edible Flowers

Common name

Scientific name

Flavor

Color

Comments

Anise hyssop

Agastache foeniculum

Anise

Lilac

Self seeding perennial

Apple

Malus spp.

Floral

White to pink

Eat in moderation since flowers contain cyanide precursors

Arugula

Eruca vesicaria sativa

Spicy

White

Annual; once flowers form the leaves become bitter

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Herbal

White, lavender

Annual

Bachelor's button

Centaurea cyanus

Vegetal

White, pink, blue

Annual; petals are edible; the calyx is bitter

Bee balm

Monarda didyma

Minty, sweet, hot

Wide range

Perennial

Borage

Borago officinalis

Herbal

Blue

Annual; use with nasturtium; use sparingly -- diuretic effects

Broccoli

Brassica officinalis

Spicy

Green

Annual

Calendula

Calendula officinalis

Slightly bitter

Yellow, orange

Annual; most often used for color rather than flavor

Chamomile

Chamaemelum noblis

Sweet apple

White

Perennial; drink tea in moderation -- contains thuaone; ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile

Chervil

Anthriscus cerefolium

Herbal

White

Annual

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

Herbal

Blue

Perennial

Chives

Allium schoeonoprasum

Onion

Lavender-pink

Perennial; avoid eating whole flower; taste can be overwhelming

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum spp.

Strong

Perennial

Use the florets; strong flavor

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Sweet, honey-like

Yellow

Perennial; use young flowers, mature flowers become bitter; flowers close after picking

Daylily

Hemerocallis spp.

Vegetal, sweet

Wide range

Perennial; may act as a diuretic or laxative; eat in moderation

Dianthus

Dianthus spp.

Sweet clove flavor

Wide range

Perennial; remove the narrow base of the petals (bitter)

Dill

Anethum graveolens

Herbal

Yellowish-green

Annual

Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Sweet

White

Perennial; do not wash flowers since it removes much of the flavor

English daisy

Bellis perennis

Mildly bitter

Pink

Perennial; ray flowers have a mildly bitter taste

Fennel

Foeniculum vulgare

Mildly anise

Yellow-green

Normally grown as an annual

Hibiscus

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Mildly citrus

Rose, red

Showy edible garnish

Hollyhock

Althea rosea

Vegetal

White, pink, red

Showy edible garnish

Honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica

Sweet

White to pale yellow

Perennial; do not use other honeysuckle flowers

Johnny-jump-up

Viola tricolor

Wintergreen

Purple and yellow

Annual; the petals have little flavor unless the green sepals are included; contain saponins and may be toxic in large amounts

Lavender

Lavendula spp.

Sweet, perfumed flavor

Lavender

Perennial; use sparingly due to intense flavor; lavender oil may be poisonous

Lilac

Syringa vulgaris

Varies

Lavender

Wide variation in flavor -- from no flavor to green and herbaceous to lilac

Linden

Tilia spp.

Honey-like

White

Frequent consumption of linden flower tea can cause heart damage

Lovage

Levisticum officinale

Celery

White

Perennial

Marigold

Tagetes patula

Bitter

Yellow, orange

Annual; Lemon Gem and Tangerine Gem have the best flavor

Mint

Mentha spp.

Minty

Purple

Perennial; each type of mint has its own unique flavor

Nasturtium

Tropaeolum majus

Spicy, peppery

Wide range

Annual

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

Vegetal

Yellow

Annual

Pansy

Viola x wittrockiana

Vegetal

Wide range

Annual; has a slightly sweet green or grassy flavor; petals have a mild flavor; whole flower has a wintergreen flavor

Passion flower

Passiflora spp.

Vegetal

Purple

Vine; showy flowers best used as a garnish

Pineapple sage

Salvia elegans

Sweet, fruity

Red

Perennial; flavor has a hint of mint and spice

Red clover

Trifolium pratense

Sweet

Red

Annual; raw clover flowers are not easily digestible

Rose

Rosa spp.

Perfumed

Wide range

Perennial: remove the white, bitter base of the petal

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis

Herbal

Blue

Perennial

Sage

Salvia officinalis

Herbal

Purple-blue

Perennial

Scarlet runner bean

Phaseolus vulgaris

Vegetal

Purple

Annual; flower only last one to two days

Scented geraniums

Pelargonium spp.

Varies

Wide range

Perennial; the flavor is usually similar to the scent of the leaves

Signet marigold

Tagetes signata

Spicy, herbal

Yellow

Annual; may be harmful if eaten in large amounts; other marigolds are edible but have a tangy to bitter flavor

Snapdragon

Anthirrhinum majus

Bitter

Wide range

Annual; use as a garnish

Squash

Curcubita pepo

Vegetal

Yellow

Annual

Sunflower

Helianthus annu



us

Varies

Yellow

Annual; flower is best eaten in bud stage when it has an artichoke flavor; petals of open flowers have a bitter- sweet flavor; pollen can cause a reaction for some people

Sweet woodruff

Galium odoratum

Sweet, nutty, vanilla

White

Can have a blood thinning effect if eaten in large amounts

Thyme

Thymus spp.

Herbal

White

Perennial herb

Tulip

Tulipa spp.

Vegetal

Wide range

Bulb; good stuffed

Violet

Viola odorata

Sweet, perfumed

Purple, white

Perennial; use candied or fresh

1 comment:

Shannon Fowler-Wardrep said...

Muchas Gracias - I'm printing this chart up!

(now I can FULLY enjoy an "edible" flower without contemplating my last moments on Earth.)