There’s something very special about a meal garnished with bright flowers. It seems strange that anything so pretty could be anything other than strictly decorative, but some flowers also taste wonderful! Just as we can eat the leaves and stems of many types of flowering plants, we can also eat the flowers. The truth is, flowers have been used both to decorate food and flavour it for thousands of years.

Types of Edible Flowers

Alliums. Unlike most edible flowers, alliums are pungent and savory, as they come from blossoming onion-type plants like garlic, shallots or chives. Chive blossoms, which are a pretty lavender colour with a fluffy, thistle-like shape, lend a lightly onion-y flavour to a dish. Garlic blossoms are also pretty and come in either a light pink or white colour. They add a pleasant garlicky flavour to dishes, yet are milder than actual garlic. Both taste terrific in salads.

Borage. This plant has pretty star-shaped flowers in a bright periwinkle blue colour. The flowers themselves have a cool taste which is similar to a cucumber’s. They are a wonderful flower to float in drinks, like a punch or a lemonade, or they can be used to decorate fruity sorbets.

Broccoli Flowers. As a broccoli plant grows, the top part eventually turns into flower buds. If you let them sit for long enough before picking, each bud will turn into a bright yellow flower. These little yellow flowers have a bit of a broccoli flavour, and are also mildly spicy. They are wonderful in salads and stir-frys.

Carnations. These flowers can be soaked in wine, candied, or even used as cake decorations. The petals of a carnation are surprisingly sweet, but the white base they grow on is quite bitter. To use the petals as decoration, cut them away from the base and sprinkle them over cakes or salads. As an aside, carnation petals are one of secret ingredients used in the famous French liqueur, Chartreuse, and have been since the 17th century.

Chrysanthemums. These beautiful flowers are widely used in Japan and the rest of Asia as an addition to stir-frys. They can also be used to make a wonderful salad dressing. Mums are tangy and just a bit bitter, and can range in flavour from slightly peppery to tasting a bit like cauliflower. Their colour can be yellow, orange, red or white. Blanch whole flowers and remove the bitter base of the flower before eating.

Pansies. These are very popular flowers to use in salads or to garnish any dish. This is because, unlike most edible flowers, pansies can be eaten whole, allowing them to maintain their shape and making for gorgeous presentation on the plate. The flowers themselves have a slightly sweet, mildly grassy taste. When eating the petals only, you will note very little flavour from the actual pansy. If, however, you eat the whole flower, you will notice a slightly sharp green flavour, similar to the dandelion. Use pansies as pretty garnishes, sprinkle them in fruit salads and green salads, or use them in or on desserts.