Even More Edible Arrangements
Flowers just might be the most delicious – and nutritious – food we never considered eating!
We already catalogued 10 different types of edible flowers, but with so much good stuff out there, we thought we’d come back for seconds.
If you can resist putting them into a bouquet, here are even more types of flowers you can put on a dinner plate.
Pre-Arranged
Before you dig in, though, we wanted to remind you once more of a few cardinal rules of flower eating.
Many flowers are, indeed, edible (even the ones that don’t taste good), and in many cases, they’re even packed with all sorts of nutrients that give us enviable skin, hair and bones. But don’t be deceived by their delicate beauty – some of them are just purely playing the honeypot, and could really hurt you if you take a bite.
As when foraging any wild plant, it’s of the utmost importance to know exactly what you’re dealing with. Even flowers that may look safe could actually be a dangerous lookalike.
It’s strongly recommended to bring a field guide with you – and to mind where you pluck from. Most public parks are probably not okay with people going in and digging up the plants. Plus, any fields you may source your flowers from could use chemical sprays for weed control that would wreak havoc on your insides.
But as long as you’re confident about what you’ve got and where you got it from, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to enjoy all this flower power!
Flower Feasting
So straight from the vase to the salad bowl, here are 10 more types of flowers you can eat:
Angelica
Not just a pretty name but a spunky little bud that sprouts from the ground like little white and yellow puffballs.
Both the flowers and their leaves can be eaten. And while Angelica is actually a relative of celery, the plant tastes much more like licorice.
Bergamot
Also known as bee balm, Oswego Tea or Horsemint, this flower has nearly as many flavors as nicknames.
Its beautiful thin purple petals and accompanying leaves taste intensely like mint, but not without strong hints of citrus and oregano. On top of that, the flower actually smells like not one of those other strong flavors but, in fact, Earl Grey Tea.
(Most mixtures of Earl Grey do, indeed, include “oil of bergamot” on their ingredients list, but even more confusingly, that comes from a bergamot orange – no relation to the flower!)
Chamomile
Speaking of tea…
Chamomile is one of the most famous cuppa’s out there, famous for its ability to help people relax and get to sleep. But the plant’s pretty, dainty white flowers can also be eaten raw, carrying a taste like a milder apple.
Chervil
These delicate white buds like to grow in the shade – but they’re the shining stars of any plate they’re mixed into.
Chervils carry a taste something like licorice, making for a nice, piquant prick in everything from soups to salads.
Chicory
An endive relative – but with a much better beautician!
Unlike their lettuce-y looking relatives, these plants are topped off with stunning powder blue burst of petals. Still, taste-wise, chicory keeps things in the family, sporting a similar leafy flavor to their endive cousins.
(Bonus: You can pickle any unopened buds to create something that tastes like delicious spicy capers!)
Day Lilies
Big, brash and bright reddish-orange, these blossoms are anything but shy.
That goes for their flavor, as well, with day lilies incorporating a surprisingly sweet taste, reminiscent of something like a mild melon or even cucumber.
Just make sure to cut the petals away from the base of the flower, which tastes exceptionally bitter – and not in a good way.
Honeysuckle
What do these precious plants taste like? It’s right there in the name!
The small, yellow flowers do taste just like honey – and have become a garden staple for their sweet smell and taste.
But be careful! Any other part of the plant, including its berries, are poisonous!
Lilac
Everyone’s favorite-smelling flower is also eligible to be at least some people’s favorite-tasting flower.
Indeed, the iconic purple buds taste something similar to the way the smell, carrying a heavily perfumed pallet – with just a hint of lemony undertone.
They’re exceptional additives to everything from salads to cocktails, but be warned: When it comes to their distinctive flavor, a little goes a long way.
Marigolds
There are two different types of Marigold out there – both producing equally beautiful, bright yellow, orange and red buds that pop out in puffy balls – but when it comes to human consumption, you want to stick with French marigolds.
Their flowers carry a bright citrus flavor that work well in a number of concoctions that could use a little freshening up.
Nasturtiums
This bright and beautiful garden favorite is actually related to cabbage, broccoli and mustard plants – and while those relatives may have gotten all the fame in the kitchen, nasturtiums certainly got the family looks.
And their rainbow assortment of flowy, broad petals don’t taste half bad. In fact, they carry an interesting mix of sweet and peppery that can make a delicious and surprising addition to soups, salads, cocktails, or any other plate that could use a good sweet peppering.
With all their beauty and exquisite taste, it just goes to show that some plants really can have it all.