Edible Flowers Chart - Home Cooking

This chart is a collaborative research project by Amy Barclay de Tolly and Home Cooking Guide Peggy Trowbridge. The links will take you to full color photos of the specific flowers to help with identification, but please don't depend solely on these photos. Be sure you know exactly what you choose to consume. If you are allergy-prone, it's probably best to forego consumption of flowers. For more information, refer to the article on Incredible Edible Flowers and Poisonous Plants and Flowers Chart.

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May be skin allergen to some individuals. Good with fish and the stems are especially popular candied. Tastes like: celery-flavored. More info here.Tastes like: sweet, anise-like, licoriceEat in moderation; may contain cyanide precursors. Tastes like: delicate floral flavorTastes like: nutty, spicy, peppery flavorTastes like: different varieties have different milder flavors of the corresponding leaves. Tastes like: lemon, mint. More info here. Used in place of bergamot to make a tea with a flavor similar to Earl Grey Tea. More info here.Tastes like: poor man's saffron, spicy, tangy, peppery, adds a golden hue to foodsDianthus caryophyllus (aka Dianthus)Tastes like: spicy, peppery, clove-likeTastes like: faint apple flavor, good as a teaTastes like: slight to bitter flavor, pungentTastes like: waxy, pronounced flavor, use sparingly as an edible garnish, good for making citrus watersRaw flowerheads can be difficult to digest.Pungent. A prime ingredient in salsa and many Latino and Oriental dishes. Tastes like: Some palates detect a disagreeable soapy flavor while others adore it. More info here.Centaurea cynaus (aka Bachelor's Buttons)Tastes like: sweet to spicy, clove-likeTastes like: very young buds fried in butter taste similar to mushrooms. Makes a potent wine.Many Lilies (Lillium species) contain alkaloids and are NOT edible. Daylillies may act as a laxative. Tastes like: sweet, crunchy, like a crisp lettuce leaf, faintly like chestnuts or beansTastes like: light, sweet flavorTastes like: similar to lettuceTastes like: slightly acidic, boiled makes a nice beverageTastes like: very bland, nondescript flavorBerries are highly poisonous. Do not eat them!Should be avoided by pregnant women and by those with hypertension and epilepsy.Tastes like: very bland, nondescript flavorTastes like: delicate sweet flavor, used for teas.Contains saponins and may be toxic in large amounts. Tastes like: sweet to bland flavorLavender oil may be poisenous. More Info. Tastes like: floral, slightly perfumey flavorTastes like: lemony flavor, usually steeped for teaTastes like: lemony, floral, pungentTastes like: sweet, delicate flavorTagetes tenuifolia (aka T. signata)Buds are often pickled and used like capers. Tastes like: sweet, mildly pungent, peppery flavorAbelmoschus aesculentus
(Hibiscus esculentus)Tastes like: similar to squash blossomsTastes like: very mild sweet to tart flavorFlowering ornamental sweet peas are poisonous.Tastes like: similar to the ripe fruit of the plant, flavorfulBirdseye Primrose (P. farinosa) causes contact dermatitis. Tastes like: bland to sweet flavorTastes like: milder, sweeter version of the more familiar radish heatTastes like: sweet, aromatic flavor, stronger fragrance produces a stronger flavor. Be sure to remove the bitter white portion of the petals. Rose hips are also edible (see Rose Hips Recipes). Tastes like: nectar, bean-likeAnother "poor man's saffron" without the pungent aroma or strong flavor of the real thingSage should not be eaten in large amounts over a long period of time. Tastes like: varies by type. More info here.Citronella variety may not be edible. Tastes like: varies with differing varieties from lemon to mint. More info here.Tastes like: bland to bitter flavorTastes like: a very mild garlic flavorCucurbita pepo species (aka Zucchini Blossom)Tastes like: leafy, slightly bitter. Lightly steam petals to lessen bitterness. Unopened flower buds can be steamed like artichokes.ONLY HYBRIDs are edible. The flowers and stems contain oxalic acid and should not be consumed by individuals suffering from gout, kidneystones, or rheumatism. Further, the flower should be eaten in strick moderation. Tastes like: crisp, sour, lemonyFlowers (petals only) and fruit are edible. Other parts contain saponin, which is poisonous. Large amounts may be harmful. Tastes like: crunchy, fresh flavor Tastes like: crunchy, fresh flavorSome flowers in particular to be avoided (but not a complete list) are: azalea, crocus, daffodil, foxglove, oleander, rhododendron, jack-in-the-pulpit, lily of the valley, and wisteria. See a more complete list. *Only the petals of these composite flowers are edible. The pollen of composite flowers is highly allergenic and may cause reactions in sensitive individuals. Sufferers of asthma, ragweed, and hayfever should not consume composite flowers, and may have extreme allergies to ingesting any flowers at all.

Disclaimer: The author and Home Cooking Guide have thoroughly researched all the aforementioned edible flowers. However, individuals consuming the flowers, plants, or derivatives listed here do so entirely at their own risk. Neither the authors or Home Cooking can be held responsible for any adverse reaction to the flowers.

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