Flowers are not only a fabulous element of decoration and aroma within a home, but they are delicious too! Have you ever heard of edible flowers? These flowers are a great way to spice up any type of cuisine and add to the deliciousness of a recipe.
The possibilities of edible flowers go beyond the well-known ‘violet’ flower, which were the first flowers ever used within pastry cooking. Now, we are able to incorporate several types of flowers into any recipe. If you want to become more innovative in the kitchen, keep reading this oneHOWTO article. Here we list over 43 types of edible flowers, including some recipes for you to try!
Types of edible flowers
It’s important to know that not all natural flowers are edible. But of those that are, we have some that are sweet, perfect for deserts, while others are more salty. The 43 different types of edible flowers that have many uses in cooking and have gained much popularity in recent years include:
- Basil (Ocimun basilicum)
- Hoary stock (Mathiola Incana)
- Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
- Orange blossom (Citrus sinensis)
- Wax Begonia (Begonia semperflorens)
- Borage (Borago officinalis)
- Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
- Szechuan Buttons (Sechuan Buttons)
- Pumpkin (Maximum Cucurbita)
- Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)
- Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
- Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
- Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus)
- Onion (Allium cepa)
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
- Centaurea Nigra (Centaurea nigra)
- Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
- Pinks or Dianthus (Dianthus spp)
- Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
- Dill (Anethum graveolens)
- Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)
- Coriander flower (Coriandrum sativum)
- Geranium (Pelargonium spp)
- Sunflower (Helianthus annus)
- Ivy geranium (Pelargonium peltatum)
- Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa sinensis)
- Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
- Jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
- Hollyhock (Althea rosea)
- Common daisy (Bellis perennis)
- Mint (Mentha)
- Purple Mistress (Moricandia Arvensis)
- Field cress (Lepidium campestre)
- Viola (Viola spp)
- Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
- Rose (Rosa spp)
- Lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus)
- Violet (Viola odorata)
- Yuca (Manihot esculenta)
List of edible flowers with pictures
You may already recognize some of the 43 types of edible flowers that we’ve just mentioned, although sometimes their flower is not used as much as other parts of the plant. This is the case, for example, with chives, dill or cilantro, which are all great options for making sauces and condiments.
Now, we’ll be focusing on three of the most commonly consumed edible flowers which are incredibly popular in the kitchen. Not only do these three flowers add color to a dish’s decoration, but they also marry very well with additional flavors:
Edible rose plants
Roses, regardless of their color, are characterized for holding a perfect of both sweet and spicy. Rose has been used for years when preparing desserts and sweets such as ice cream, jams and smoothies.
However, you can also find rose in other dishes such as stewed meats or chicken and lamb dishes. A more risky but equally delicious option is to include roses in couscous or salad dishes. For more, read our article where we discuss how to care for a rose plant.
Edible violet
Violet is a popular edible flower known for medicinal and edible uses. Violet is often used for desserts and sweets, and is known for its characteristic sweet and menthol flavor. Although it is generally used for candies and jams, violet is also ideal for ice cream and sorbets and can even be incorporated into meat stews.
Moricandia Arvensis - purple mistress
Although you may not recognize its name, you’ve definitely consumed this flower at least once! This flower is ideal for eating, because its flavor is reminiscent of mustard, which makes it an ideal flower for salads. It also pairs very well with meats, both white and red, and fish.
Edible flowers recipes
Edible flowers can be used in multiple recipes, as it is possible to make a combination of innumerable flavors (depending on an individual’s taste). Keep reading for some of our top edible flower recipe tips:
- Salads: allow you to blend your favorite edible flowers together. Among the most commonly used we have basil, centurea or edible poppy. The latter also pairs very well with fruits like begonia, perfect for Macedonian cuisine. For more, we recommend trying out these flowers with the following how to make fruit salad.
- If you want to accompany an original dish with an even more creative drink that includes edible flowers, you should know that the borage flower, due to its similarity to cucumber, is ideal for a great gin&tonic.
- And if you think that other foods such as rice and legumes do not taste great with flowers ... you are very wrong! These are dishes that match perfectly with chamomile. For more, read about the benefits of chamomile here!
Edible flowers list
Are you looking to incorporate these above listed edible flowers into a delicious meal? If so, we recommend reading our srticle on the best easy cake recipes (add some rose for that extra sweetness)!
If you want to read similar articles to 43 Types of Edible Flowers, we recommend you visit our Food & drink category.