Edible flowers
I've been eating forsythia flowers, as they are one of the first plants to bloom around here. They are pretty good - a little sweet, a little bitter... nice balance to my taste. Here re some more edible flowers: https://www.wildedible.com/9-edible-wildflowers-spring?fbclid=IwAR27DL0mHI6KUTW5otOPW7Kg1ByEm_i1YAejOgQJbPdGqHruYG5VAM1nYGg
Comments
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@judsoncarroll4 Thanks for this awesome info. I had no idea you could eat wisteria flowers. I had an entire front fence drenched with them, the beautiful purple ones.
the violets and red buds are also some of my fav's.
The borage and nasturtiums as well.
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@judsoncarroll4 Thanks for posting this link! I didn't know forsythia flowers were edible. Must try them this spring. A word of caution, though. This site lists wisteria as edible. There are some varieties that may have toxic flowers as well as the rest of the plant. In general the whole plant is toxic but particularly the seeds. So if there were any seeds starting to form in the flowers, that could present an issue for inexperienced foragers. There are so many edible flowers out there that I would think this one could be left alone unless you are an experienced forager and know your species.
Kami McBride has a couple of links on edible flowers.
https://kamimcbride.com/decorate-food-six-spicy-edible-flowers/
https://kamimcbridegift.com/edible-flower-herb-walk. This one is a video.
This is a link to a longer list of edible flowers done by Westcoast Seeds.
https://www.westcoastseeds.com/blogs/garden-wisdom/list-of-edible-flowers
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This is great! There are so many edible plants we have forgotten about. Another reason to look forward to spring. Flowers can be such a nice addition to salad and meals too.
We used to grow and create edible flower arrangements. I remember my daughter picking me flowers at school. Then telling me not to eat them, the flowers were just for looks. ahaha
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I have tended to be quite careful with "edible" flowers and only assumed the ones we use in making herbal medicine e.g. calendula, violets, were safe. I have read Kami McBride's articles on edible flowers - very good and I recommend others to read and watch her video too.
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A few that aren't mentioned in any of the above lists:
Elderflower - Batter and deep-fry.
Cruciferous flowers - Broccoli, Mustard, etc.
Tulips - just the petals, not the pistils or stamens.
Lemon - (for those of you lucky enough to have locals lemons) waxy, use sparingly.
Hibiscus. Sage. Snapdragons. Gardenia. Hosta.
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You can make wine out of forsythia... or most any edible flower, too!
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We've eaten borage & day lily petals. I think we have eaten pansy too.
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How would I prepare hosta to eat?
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Actually, the name tells you everything.... Hosta derives from the Latin word for spear. When the plants emerge in spring, like little spears poking up from the earth, harvest them with a knife. Cook like asparagus... steam/sauté in olive oil or butter, with salt, lemon and pepper. Steam/saute means to start them in a pan with some water, covered, after a few minutes, uncover and allow the water to escape, then add oil.
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Thanks for the great links and info. I’ve only used violets and dandelions so far, but look forward to trying more.
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That sounds really delicious! Do they have a spicy taste to them?
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nasturtium does
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@judsoncarroll4 I eat flowers daily in season, including: black pansies (for eyesight), very dark purple petunias (for eyesight), nasturtiums, marigold petals (for eyesight), lavender (for fun), violet flowers.
I make elderflower liqueur from my elderflowers, it comes out just like St. Germain.
Using the same liqueur recipe I make catnip liqueur, peppermint liqueur, and black currant liqueur (from the berries not the flowers).
Occasionally I eat rose petals.
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@tinarock Welcome to the forum. I would love to have your liqueur recipes if you are willing to share. Maybe it should have its own discussion so others can share liqueur recipes as well.
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@tinarock I agree with Torey!
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I foraged and battered and fried Queen Anne's lace (Daucus Carota) and it was delicious!
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I've never tried that!
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I harvested hosta spears yesterday. They are at the perfect size in my one area and I have a new group that will probably be ready in a few weeks for preparing like asparagus.
I have not used hosta leaves before but I am going to give it a try this spring.
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Queen Anne's lace may be good to eat but please take care and do not mistake it for Water Hemlock. It also makes the uterus inhospitable to pregnancy, so don't eat if you are trying to get pregnant.
I'm going to try the hosta spears. I've eaten the flowers, but not the spears. Thanks for the nudge.
Some of my favorite flowers are Henbit and Purple Dead Nettle although my fav is Borage because of the mental lift it gives me.
It's fun to grab a pansy (from a garden you know doesn't use toxins) and pop it in your mouth just to watch the reactions of people around you.
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My bother picked up the kids one day and his youngest was stuffing nasturtiums in his mouth as fast as he could. Bob took one look and me and said, "Thanks Denise"
Borage is one of my favorites!
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It is the coolest thing when kids start eating flowers😋
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My 5 year old loves edible flowers. It is hard to keep any viola blossoms on the plants. When the calendula is blooming she likes to pull out petals to eat. I wonder how she will like nasturtiums, I will be planting some this year. :)
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@judsoncarroll4 thank you for a good discussion. Even the dried flowers make herbal mixtures more cheerful, colourful. I have plenty of rose petals for red and marigold for yellow, wild sage for dark blue, lavender for purple and daisies for white to add to my “good mood” mixtures. Oh yes, we do eat and drink with eyes as well. And with noses.
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I'm eating bugleweed right now... bitter, but good stuff!
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@judsoncarroll4 I remember making vegetarian rice paper rolls for a party I was attending. They looked a bit plain on the platter. I went out into the garden to have a look about and came up with primula flowers and calendula petals, looked very pretty and even got some nice comments. Able to spread the word a little by telling people they were perfectly good to eat.
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@judsoncarroll4 How are you using Bugleweed? We have so much of it here and most people dig it up and throw it away. I would like to be able to share ways to us it with them.
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Right now, I'm just eating it as a bitter, good for liver... but also remarkably relaxing. Check my most recent herbal video lesson - I'm just eating the leftovers!
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I did watch it @judsoncarroll4 but somehow that went over my head. Will go back and watch again
Her it is considered invasive but I have alwasy liked it. One year I thoiught about pulling most of it out but I looked and it was the only thing attracting the bees early in the spring so it stays. I am glad I can promote it for herbal use.
I will try some tomorrow. TY
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Just try a little since it contains digitalis like compounds. It does slow the heart rate.
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Great information! Thanks! My daughter who is a pastry chef used to forage in our back yard for flowers to put on her pastries. I know she gathered pansy and chicory flowers. The bartenders where she worked also used flowers on some of their signature cocktail drinks.
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