FLOWERS La Dolce Vita: Edible Flower List 1. ALLIUM All blossoms from the allium family (leeks, chives, garlic, garlic chives) are edible and flavorful! Flavors run the gamut from delicate leek to robust garlic. Every part of these plants is edible. 2. ANGELICA Depending on the variety, flowers range from pale lavender-blue to deep rose and have a licorice-like flavor. 3. ANISE HYSOP Both flowers and leaves have a subtle anise or licorice flavor. 4. ARUGULA Blossoms are small with dark centers and with a peppery flavor much like the leaves. They range in color from white to yellow with dark purple streaks. 5. BACHELOR'S BUTTON Grassy in flavor, the petals are edible. Avoid the bitter calyx. 6. BASIL Blossoms come in a variety of colors, from white to pink to lavender; the flavor is similar to the leaves, but milder. 7. BEE BALM The red flowers have a minty flavor. 8. BORAGE Blossoms are a lovely blue hue and taste like cucumber! 9. CALENDULA/marigold A great flower for eating, calendula blossoms are peppery, tangy, and spicy — and their vibrant golden color adds dash to any dish. 10. CARNATIONS / DIANTHUS Petals are sweet, once trimmed away from the base. The blossoms taste like their sweet, perfumed aroma. 11. CHAMOMILE Small and daisy-like, the flowers have a sweet flavor and are often used in tea. Ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile. 12. CHERVIL Delicate blossoms and flavor, which is anise-tinged. 13. CHICORY Mildly bitter earthiness of chicory is evident in the petals and buds, which can be pickled. 14. CHRYSANTHEMUM A little bitter, mums come in a rainbow of colors and a range of flavors range from peppery to pungent. Use only the petals. 15. CILANTRO Like the leaves, people either love the blossoms or hate them. The flowers share the grassy flavor of the herb. Use them fresh as they lose their charm when heated. 16. CITRUS (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, kumquat) Citrus blossoms are sweet and highly scented. Use frugally or they will over-perfume a dish. 17. CLOVER Flowers are sweet with a hint of licorice. 18. DANDELION 19. DILL Yellow dill flowers taste much like the herb’s leaves. 20. ENGLISH DAISY These aren’t the best-tasting petals — they are somewhat bitter — but they look great! 21. FENNEL Yellow fennel flowers are eye candy with a subtle licorice flavor, much like the herb itself. 22. FUCHSIA Tangy fuchsia flowers make a beautiful garnish. 23. GLADIOLUS Who knew? Although gladioli are bland, they can be stuffed, or their petals removed for an interesting salad garnish. 24. HIBISCUS Famously used in hibiscus tea, the vibrant cranberry flavor is tart and can be used sparingly. 25. HOLLYHOCK Bland and vegetal in flavor, hollyhock blossoms make a showy, edible garnish. 26. IMPATIENS Flowers don’t have much flavor — best as a pretty garnish or for candying. 27. JASMINE These super-fragrant blooms are used in tea; you can also use them in sweet dishes, but sparingly. 28. JOHNNY JUMP-UP Adorable and delicious, the flowers have a subtle mint flavor great for salads, pasta, fruit dishes, and drinks. 29. LAVENDER Sweet, spicy, and perfumed, the flowers are a great addition to both savory and sweet dishes. 30. LEMON VERBENA The diminutive off-white blossoms are redolent of lemon — and great for teas and desserts. 31. LILAC The blooms are pungent, but the floral citrusy aroma translates to its flavor as well. 32. MINT The flowers are — surprise! — minty. Their intensity varies among varieties. 33. NASTURTIUM One of the most popular edible flowers, nasturtium blossoms are brilliantly colored with a sweet, floral flavor bursting with a spicy pepper finish. When the flowers go to seed, the seed pod is a marvel of sweet and spicy. You can stuff flowers, add leaves to salads, pickle buds like capers, and garnish to your heart’s content. 34. OREGANO The flowers are a pretty, subtle version of the leaf. 35. PANSY The petals are somewhat nondescript, but if you eat the whole flower you get more taste. 36. RADISH Varying in color, radish flowers have a distinctive, peppery bite. 37. ROSE Remove the white, bitter base and the remaining petals have a strongly perfumed flavor perfect for floating in drinks or scattering across desserts, and for a variety of jams. All roses are edible, with flavor more pronounced in darker varieties. 38. ROSEMARY Flowers taste like a milder version of the herb; nice used as a garnish on dishes that incorporate rosemary. 39. SAGE Blossoms have a subtle flavor similar to the leaves. 40. SQUASH and PUMPKIN Blossoms from both are wonderful vehicles for stuffing, each having a slight squash flavor. Remove stamens before using. 41. SUNFLOWER Petals can be eaten, and the bud can be steamed like an artichoke. 42. VIOLETS Another famous edible flower, violets are floral, sweet and beautiful as garnishes. Use the flowers in salads and to garnish desserts and drinks. yippeskippy: That's a great list La Dolce Vita I had no idea how many herbs were also flowers simply because they were green. | Food Chat Room 1 Person Chatting Similar Conversations |