Stop and Taste the Flowers
Paulette Greenberg, Anoka County Extension Master Gardener
While many of us are familiar with the idea of creating an edible landscape using traditional food sources like currant bushes, apple trees and herbs, we might be missing out on some other culinary delights contained in our own backyards – flowers.
When you are selecting pansies for your spring planter, consider buying extras to give a pop of color and taste to your spring salads, or candy them for a delicate dessert. Both the petals and sepals of pansies are edible and have a delicate, slightly grassy flavor. Here are some other good choices for both your landscape and your plate:
Sunflowers: While most people know you can eat the seeds, few realize that the whole flower head is edible. Harvest the heads when they begin to droop (before seeds are fully formed), remove the outer and inner petals, and wash thoroughly. To prepare, drizzle the sunflower heads with olive oil and place them face down on a closed gas grill. Cook at 450 degrees for about five minutes. Serve the heads in chunks and eat them like corn on the cob.
Nasturtiums: Do you like peppery greens like arugula? If so, you’ll love nasturtium, which is ready to harvest after arugula and other mustard-like greens have bolted in the heat of the summer. Both the petals and the flowers can be eaten, and the flowers come in many vibrant colors to match your landscape and your salad plate.
Borage: This Mediterranean herb is incredibly easy to grow from seed, and both the leaves and flowers are edible. Borage tastes like cucumber and is a gorgeous addition to salads and summer cocktails with its blue or white blooms. It is best to use young leaves as older ones are hairy and not as palpable. Borage is a pollinator magnet, so leave some flowers for the bees to enjoy, too!
Roses: These workhorses of the flower garden are excellent additions to your afternoon tea party. Rose hips are used in preserves and teas. Rose petals are making a comeback in baking and cocktail applications via rose water, which will add sweetness and a taste undertone ranging from spicy to fruity depending on the variety. For best taste, select an heirloom rose variety since newer hybrids are bred primarily for looks.
There are several precautions to take when using a flower for food. The most important is to be certain you have properly identified the flower. There are many resources available online and in print to guide you. Next, avoid consuming plants from florists or from areas sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals. Finally, thoroughly wash all flowers or produce before serving – an insect may be trapped in that borage bloom.
For gardeners with small or non-existent yards, it is not necessary to sacrifice blooms for food or vice versa. With a little research, you can make your environment both beautiful and edible.
The University of Minnesota Extension has more information about edible flowers: Edible flowers | UMN Extension
Mark your calendar for the Anoka County Master Gardeners' Home Landscaping and Garden Fair on April 1st and Plant Sale on May 16th & 17th, 2023. Visit anokamastergardeners.org for details.