All About Edible Flowers

Be Safe and Learn What Flowers are Edible

edible rose petals

I have used edible flowers as decoration with my baked goods for years from multi-tiered wedding cakes, simple cupcakes to actual table and plate décor. Sometimes it is just hard to improve upon nature when it comes to color and elegance and shape. There are several things to take into consideration, but the most important is safety! Consider this a primer on using edible flowers safely and decoratively. Get creative!

SAFETY – Not all parts of each plant are edible. For instance, a tulip blossom is edible, but steer clear of the bulb! When in doubt – do not eat. Here is a list of edible flowers to consider. If you are fond of a particular bloom, I recommend doing a thorough investigation of it. And, once you determine which blooms are safe, make sure they are free of pesticides. This mostly likely means you or a friend has grown them and can vouch for their purity or have a chat with a seller at a farmer’s market.

Apple blossoms

Tuberous begonias

Borage

Calendula

Carnations

Chive blossoms

Chrysanthemums

Cymbidium orchid

Citrus blossoms

Cornflower

Dandelion

Day lily

Dianthus

Elderflower

English daisies

Fuchsia

Gardenia

Geraniums

Herb flowers: rosemary, basil, mint, sage, etc.

Hibiscus

Hollyhock

Honeysuckle

Hyssop

Iceland poppy

Lavender

Lilac

Lemon verbena

Marigold

Nasturtiums

Passionflower

Roses

Pansies

Petunias

Safflower

Sunflower

Tulip

Violas

Violets

Yucca

Zucchini blossoms

 

HOW TO USE – Flowers are versatile. Consider the following:

  • Strewn on a display platter such as with these scones below

scones on edible flowers

  • Scattered on a table top
  • Whole blooms can be used on top of a cake such as below

wedding-cake

pansies under glass

Last Image: Courtesy Dennis Gottlieb

Other Images: Dédé Wilson

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