Edible flowers offer so much joy and whimsy to any dish, it's easy to save this fanciful touch for only special meals. If you have plenty of edible flowers growing right in your own garden or backyard though, it's easy to add a bright touch of whimsy to even weeknight meals.
Most people don't realize how many flowers are actually safe to eat, and a surprising number of these are very easy to grow right in any backyard or kitchen garden.
Here are 23 of my favorite edible blossoms, that add bright splashes of color to both savory or sweet dishes. None of these are fussy plants, so even a novice gardener can grow them with success. Some are even perennials, so you can plant them once, and harvest for years to come!
1. Nasturtiums

Perhaps one of the easiest and most abundant edible flowers you can grow, nasturtiums also come in a wide array of colors. They lend themselves well to growing in window boxes, which is my personal favorite way to plant these. There's nothing like being able to reach right out your kitchen window for a beautiful garnish.
Nasturtiums have a slightly peppery flavor profile, but they're mild and lend themselves wonderfully to salads.
Wondering which variety to grow? For a look like the photo above, "Cream Troika" is what you want. It's also hard to go wrong with Jewel or Alaska. Grab the recipe for that gorgeous Panna Cotta in the photo, here.
2. Sunflowers
Sunflowers are one of the most edible flowers you could ask for. Just about every part of this hearty plant is edible, from the dried seeds, to the tender sprouts, to those beautiful, sunshiny blossoms.
Keep your flower heads small and useable by really crowding your planting. This is the easiest way to ensure petite, beautiful blossoms that are desirable for culinary use. 4" spacing in every direction isn't too close for single-blossom varieties.
Add the petals to a fresh green salad, or try lightly steaming the entire blossom, then tossing with melted butter and garlic.
3. Violets
Violets have been my favorite edible flower, ever since I was a tiny little girl. Their light, floral flavor is just sublime.
These are a great flower to toss abundantly into a nice spring salad, or create a really show-stopping treat by pressing them lightly into the tops of shortbread cookies before baking. They keep their color beautifully!
You can also candy them, like in the photo above, making a perfect garnish for cakes and pastries. This tutorial will walk you through it.
4. Lilacs
There's probably no other edible flower that smells quite as heavenly as lilacs. From the old fashioned lilacs to the vividly colored French varieties, they're all edible, and all delicious.
While I'm partial to the old fashioned "common lilac", I haven't noticed much difference in the flavor profile of one color variety to another. Lilacs make a delicately flavored jelly, can be turned into a lovely simple syrup, and add a bright floral flavor to iced tea or lemonade.
Here's a good recipe for lilac lemonade, if you'd like to try it!
5. Honeysuckle
Just as the name suggests, honeysuckle blossoms taste quite a lot like honey. They're delightfully sweet, and lend themselves well to all sorts of summery recipes.
Try mixing them in with lemonade for an even sunnier, more flavorful drink. Or use them to make a delicious honeysuckle simple syrup or honeysuckle tea.
6. Squash Blossoms
While squash plants are usually grown for the squash, not the flowers, the blossoms are a wonderful side benefit and definitely deserve to be used!
Most commonly fried, or stuffed and then fried, they can also be steamed or tossed right into a stir fry. These also look impressive as a finishing touch on a lovely focaccia or quiche.
I especially love this squash blossom frittata recipe.
7. Roses
Roses have long held a respectable place in culinary tradition. In the 1800's, rose water was a kitchen staple, and used as a flavoring with nearly the same frequency we see vanilla called for in modern cookbooks.
Along the way, the idea of roses as food seems to have fallen out of fashion, but thankfully that seems to be changing again. Rose petals can be made into delicious jellies or preserves, they can be dried and used for tea, or as a flavoring for cookies and shortbreads. One of my favorite recipes I came across for using roses, is this spicy rose harissa paste. It sounds amazing!
For flavor, it's hard to beat the delicate petals of rosa rugosa, but nearly any type of rose will impart a beautiful floral flavor.
8. Pansies
With a flavor similar to violets, pansies are just a little bigger and showier. They also come in a wider variety of colors.
Pansies are easy to grow, and have a very long blooming period, so they're great as an addition to a kitchen garden. Grow them right along with your basil and thyme, and you'll have blossoms to work with all season long.
Use them in all the same ways as violets. They're showstoppers wherever you use them, from a simple salad, to garnish on a cake. Find the recipe for those beautiful Lavender Lemon Shortbread Bars in the photo, here.
9. Marigold
All marigold varieties are edible, but not all are equally enjoyable. For both flavor and appearance, I recommend any of the "Gem" varieties. The Gem series comes in Lemon, Tangerine, and Red, and all of them are cute and delicious.
These are a really great flower to toss in with a pasta salad, since they're sturdy and hold their shape and color so well. They're also delicious in a fresh green salad, as a topper for crostini, or on a crudité platter.
10. Dahlia
Oh dahlias, those showy, beautiful flowers. It's almost too much that on top of being so very lovely, they're edible as well. It's true though.
If you can bring yourself to do it, you can chow right down on them. Add those petals to your salad, or sprinkle them on a smoothie bowl for some color.
Interestingly, though, it's the boring-looking tuber of the dahlia plant that's most nutritious and flavorful. All varieties don't taste the same though, so if you're looking for root-cellar-worthy dahlias to grow, I highly recommend reading through this fascinating article, which has some good recommendations.
11. Hibiscus
These huge, showy blossoms are the source of one of my favorite floral teas. While the petals are so enormous that they're not often used as a fresh garnish, they dry up into tiny little fragrant, colorful shreds, which add flavor and flair wherever they're used.
In addition to a light, refreshing flavor profile, hibiscus creates a gorgeous reddish-purple color when added to drinks or jellies.
Check out this recipe for a delicious Hibiscus Iced Tea to see what I mean.
12. Cornflowers
Also known as Bachelors' Buttons, these playful little blossoms are just a joy to grow, and to eat. They're not big on flavor (they've been described as tasting like raw green bean), but they're bright, colorful, and abundant.
It's really hard to go wrong with any of the varieties out there, but I always like reaching for a seed packet that offers a mix of colors, so I end up with a broad palette to choose from.
Common ways to use these are in fresh green salads, cold pasta salads, or as a decorative element on charcuterie boards.
13. Tithonia
Also known as Mexican Sunflower, this is one of those plants that I'll always grow in my cottage kitchen garden.
These are a great blossom to reach for when you're looking for a show-stopping plate garnish. The other lovely thing about this easy-to-grow flower is that monarch butterflies just LOVE them. Native pollinators of all kinds flock to these, so I tell myself I'm really growing these for the pollinators, and steal a few for culinary use from time to time.
My favorite variety to grow is the one in this photo. It's called "Torch" and you can find seeds for it here.
14. Chamomile
Chamomile is one of those workhorse flowers that just does everything. It's delicately flavorful, lending itself to even sweet desserts, like cookies or this cake. Medicinal gardens wouldn't be complete without it, as anyone who loves a cup of chamomile at bedtime can attest.
It's also lovely as an ingredient in homemade soaps and skincare products. There are two varieties of Chamomile--German, and Roman. Both have excellent qualities, and this article can help you choose which to plant.
Get the recipe for that beautiful Honey Chamomile Tea Cake here.
15. Apple Blossoms
If you've ever had the joy of walking under an apple tree in full bloom, and breathing in the fragrance of apple blossoms, it probably comes as no surprise that these are totally edible.
As a relative of the rose, you can go ahead and use apple blossoms in all of the same ways. They can be turned into a light, floral jelly, or infused into apple blossom water. Another popular use is as a flavoring in custards, ice creams, or puddings. You can even dry the petals and then brew them into tea.
16. Elderflowers
Elderflowers are the blossoms of the elderberry bush. While elderberries have a popular reputation for their immune-boosting benefits, the joys of using elderflowers are less well known.
They have a light and pleasant flavor, and back in the 1800's it was common to use them in making elderflower wine. Much like with honeysuckle, this is a flower that just seems to especially lend itself to beverages.
Try making the Elderflower Lemonade in the photo, or here's an intriguing recipe for Elderflower Cordial.
17. Grape Hyacinth
Totally unrelated to true hyacinths (which are toxic), these little flowers are easy to grow and edible from blossom to root.
It's the blossom that's most commonly used, and they have a light, slightly grape-like flavor. Use them in the same ways you would violets or lilacs. They hold up nicely in baked goods, and can be a nice decorative element, pressed into the top of a sugar cookie or shortbread.
Grape hyacinth also lends itself to being boiled into a simple syrup, or used for flavoring beverages. Here's a recipe for Grape Hyacinth Lemonade that I'm eager to try.
18. Borage
If there's anything the native pollinators love around my house as much as Tithonia, it's the borage. The plant itself looks a bit fuzzy, and doesn't exactly yell "eat me", so it's easy to miss the fact that both plant and flower are entirely edible.
You're getting tired of this suggestion by now, but pick those flowers and toss them in a nice green salad. They're subtle, but tasty, like a young cucumber.
For even more suggestions, including a ravioli that really sounds like a must-try, this article is just full of great ideas.
19. Impatiens
Anyone who's ever had a shady flower garden is probably familiar with the ever-obliging impatiens. They're easy to grow, and don't mind some shade, which is a real plus for such a showy flower.
You can also eat them. Their flavor is mild, and closer to a nasturtium than a violet. they hold up well to being candied, and make for a beautiful floral cocktail. Any type of Impatiens walleriana will do, I especially like the Paradise Mix from Fedco.
20. Chives
More commonly thought of as a spicy spring herb, similar to a green onion, this fellow allium offers beautiful purple flowers that I find myself reaching for every bit as often as the slender foliage.
My favorite way to use chive flowers is in pasta salad. They're robust enough that they just really hold up well. Green salads also get a nice kick from these bright and spicy flower heads. Unlike some of the other flowers on this list, chive blossoms do have a definite flavor, and it's a spicy one. Savory dishes are where this flower really shines.
21. Bee Balm
This boisterous looking flower is another favorite with the native pollinators, and it's a hardy perennial.
The petals can be used fresh and added to salads. As a member of the mint family, they have a nice fresh scent and flavor. The flowers also hold their color well when dried, and can be brewed into tea.
While you're harvesting, grab some of the leaves to dry as well. They make a wonderful culinary herb, with a flavor that's said to be reminiscent of thyme.
22. Daylily
Unlike their toxic lookalike, the true lily, daylilies are edible from tuber to petal. You can fry or stuff the flowers, just like zucchini blossoms. Young shoots are tender as they're starting to grow, and can be sautéed like asparagus.
Or, like with dahlias, you can give those tubers a try, and boil them like young potatoes.
As their name suggests, daylilies only bloom for a single day. However, their blossoms tend to be abundant for most varieties, so you'll have lots of opportunities to experiment. This excellent article will walk you through all kind of culinary possibilities for this lovely flower.
23. Echinacea
Because it does have a strong and fairly bitter flavor, echinacea doesn't always make the list of edible flowers. It's more commonly known for its use in teas and medicinal tinctures.
You definitely can eat those blossoms though, and they're so lovely, they make a wonderful garnish. Pluck the individual petals and scatter them over a salad for a bright bit of color, without overwhelming flavor.
Or, go ahead and dry those flowers and brew them into a traditional tea. Fill a tea ball with dried flower petals, then steep in boiling-hot water for 10 minutes. Flavor with lemon, ginger, honey, or all three.
What to Plant In a Pollinator Garden
Pollinator gardens are thankfully becoming more popular, but it can be confusing knowing just what to plant. Not all showy blossoms appeal to native pollinators, and some are more beneficial than others.
Learn how to confidently plan and create an abundant, food-filled haven for pollinators. This easy list will walk you through some of the best choices to plant in your bee garden.
How to Start a Dahlia Garden From Seed
While it's most common to grow dahlias from tubers, starting them from seed can save hundreds of dollars if you want a large flower garden.
If you've never planted dahlia seeds before, the whole process is easier than you might think. These simple tips will help you get good success even in your very first season.
Anna Chesley
Anna Chesley is a freelance writer living a homestead lifestyle, with a special love for family travel, old books, vintage skills, and seaside living. In addition to founding Salt In My Coffee, she runs the website, New England Family Life, as well as The 1800's Housewife, a website devoted to re-creating authentic 1800's recipes.
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