Flowers don’t just look pretty; some can be tasty too! In this gallery, we’ll explore 22 gorgeous flowers you can safely eat. Each bloom brings color, flavor, and fun to salads, drinks, and desserts. From peppery petals that spice up a salad to sweet blossoms perfect for a fancy lemonade, you’ll discover how to turn ordinary dishes into something special. Let’s dive into the world of edible flowers!
1. Nasturtium
Nasturtium flowers come in bright sunny colors like orange, red, and yellow. They have a pleasant, peppery flavor that’s a bit like watercress, giving salads a spicy kick. You can toss whole nasturtium blooms into your salad or use them as a colorful garnish on sandwiches and appetizers. Even the round green leaves are edible and peppery. Visually, nasturtiums are eye-catching with their vibrant hues and funnel-shaped blossoms, instantly making any dish look like a summer garden party.
2. Pansy (Viola)
Pansies and their tiny cousins, violas, are well-loved for their pretty “faces” petals painted in purple, yellow, blue, and more. The petals have a mild flavor, sometimes slightly grassy or wintergreen. That gentle taste means you can sprinkle pansies on salads or desserts without overwhelming other flavors. They’re also popular as candied decorations on cakes. Pansies are flat and round, usually about the size of a coin, and they make any dish look like a work of art with their bright and multi-colored blooms.
3. Calendula (Pot Marigold)
Calendula is often called “pot marigold” and has daisy-like flowers in bright yellow and orange. The petals are edible and add a tangy, peppery flavor; some people even compare them to saffron in mildness. You can scatter the petals over salads, soups, or rice for a pop of color. Calendula petals taste zesty, and dye foods have a golden hue, like saffron. With their sunny colors and bushy heads of petals, these flowers make any meal look cheerful and appetizing.
4. Borage
Borage flowers are star-shaped and bright blue, almost like the sapphire stars on your plate. They have a cooling, cucumber-like flavor that’s refreshing. This makes them perfect for floating in summer drinks like lemonade, iced tea, or even a fancy gin and tonic. You can also freeze borage blooms in ice cubes to dress up beverages. In salads, they add a mild bite and beautiful color. Borage flowers are pretty small but pack a visual punch with their sky-blue petals and delicate starry form, and they’re a favorite of pollinators like bees in the garden too.
5. Hibiscus
Hibiscus flowers are known for their tropical beauty; they have immense, trumpet-shaped blooms, usually red, pink, or orange. These petals are tart and tangy, with a flavor often compared to cranberry or citrus. Hibiscus is commonly used to make ruby-red hibiscus tea and syrups, which can be mixed into cocktails or mocktails for a lovely color and zing. You might find candied hibiscus flowers used as a cocktail garnish or at the bottom of a glass of champagne for a fancy touch. The vibrant red petals taste zesty and turn drinks a rosy color.
6. Rose
Rose petals aren’t just for smelling; you can eat them too! Roses come in many colors (red, pink, yellow, white), and the petals have a delicate, fruity-sweet flavor with a perfumed finish. Before using, it’s best to cut off the white base of each petal, since that part can be bitter. Sprinkle rose petals in salads for a romantic touch or float them in punches and cocktails (think rose lemonade or a rose-petal garnish on champagne). Visually, rose petals are soft and velvety, and they make any dish look elegant, like something from a fairy tale garden.
7. Lavender
Lavender brings a lovely purple color and a strong floral scent to the table. The tiny lavender buds have a sweet, intensely floral flavor, so a little goes a long way. You often see lavender in lemonades, teas, or baked goods (like lavender lemonade or cookies) for a unique twist. For drinks, dropping a few lavender florets in champagne or a cocktail can add a subtle aroma. The purple buds look pretty and smell delightful in salads or atop desserts. Just remember to use sparingly; the flavor is very perfumey, so a sprinkle of the small violet blossoms will give you that gentle herbal-floral hint without overpowering the dish.
8. Chamomile
Chamomile flowers resemble tiny daisies, with white petals and sunny yellow centers. They are famous for making calming chamomile tea with a mild, sweet flavor like apple. You can also use the small blooms fresh: scatter a few chamomile flowers on a salad or dessert for a dainty garnish. They pair nicely with fruit salads or even a bowl of yogurt, adding a subtle sweetness and a pretty look. Visually, chamomile is delicate and adds a wildflower charm with its little white petals. Do note that if you have pollen allergies, you might want to try a little at first (the same caution as when drinking tea.
9. Chive Blossoms
Chive blossoms are the puffball purple flowers that grow on chive plants (the same plant that gives us chive leaves). These pom-pom-shaped blooms are made of many tiny florets and have a mild onion flavor. They’re great for savory dishes: you can pull apart the blossom and sprinkle the individual lilac-purple florets over salads, deviled eggs, or baked potatoes for a subtle oniony kick. They add both taste and a pop of purple color. Chive flowers are round and about the size of a small ping-pong ball before you separate them.
10. Signet Marigold (Lemon Marigold)
Signet marigolds are little yellow-orange marigold flowers (Tagetes tenuifolia) known for their citrus flavor. Unlike the bigger marigolds (French or African) that can taste pungent, signet marigolds have a refreshing lemony taste that works well in foods. The petals can be torn and tossed into salads or used to garnish cocktails for a sunny touch. Some people compare the taste to tarragon or citrus peel, which is zesty but gentle. These flowers are usually small (about an inch across) with feathery leaves, and their bright gold color adds a cheerful confetti look to your dish.
11. Dandelion
Dandelions might be known as lawn weeds, but they’re also entirely edible and quite tasty! When the flower is young, the bright yellow petals have a sweet, honey-like flavor. You can pull the petals out and sprinkle them over a salad, rice, or even pasta for a pop of color and hint of sweetness. Some people also dip the blossoms in batter and fry them as fritters. Dandelion greens (the leaves) are often eaten in salads, but are more bitter; the yellow flower is the sweet part. Visually, dandelion flowers are like little yellow pom-poms. Just be sure to pick dandelions from areas without pesticides or car traffic.
12. Red Clover
Red clover blossoms are those pinkish-purple puffballs you see in meadows. They have a mildly sweet, delicate flavor that some say hints of licorice or honey. Clover flowers can be pulled apart into tiny tubular petals; you can scatter a few over salads or use them to decorate cakes and drinks. They also make a lovely herbal tea. Because the flower heads are somewhat challenging to digest whole, it’s best to use them in moderation, as a pretty garnish rather than a big snack. Each clover bloom is round, about the size of a cherry tomato, with many little florets making up the flower.
13. Squash Blossom
Squash blossoms are the bright yellow-orange flowers you find on zucchini and other squash plants. These blossoms are large (several inches long) and have a mild flavor reminiscent of young squash or zucchini. Squash blossoms are delicious in many ways: you can eat them raw in salads, chop them up for quesadillas, or even stuff and fry them for a famous treat. They pair well with cheeses and herbs. Before using, you often remove the inner parts (the stamen/pistil) so the flower is hollow for stuffing. The squash flowers are showy and frilly on a plate, adding a rustic farm-to-table charm.
14. Bee Balm (Monarda)
Bee balm, also known as wild bergamot, is a spiky-looking flower that can be red, pink, or purple. Its petals are long, tubular, and arranged like a shaggy firework. Bee balm flowers have an intense flavor, mixing minty and citrus with spice, almost like an herbal Earl Grey tea taste. Because of that, you might use them sparingly: try separating the thin tubular petals and mixing them into fruit salads, teas, or cocktails for a burst of color and flavor. The red variety, for example, looks stunning in a pitcher of lemonade or scattered on a salad.
15. Elderflower
Elderflowers are the delicate, creamy-white blossoms of the elderberry tree. They grow in flat clusters and have a sweet, floral fragrance that’s truly enchanting. Elderflowers taste sweet and subtly fruity, almost like a mix of pear and honey (more of a gentle aroma than a strong flavor). These blossoms are famous for making elderflower syrup and cordials, which you can mix into cocktails (like an elderflower spritz or martini) for a lovely floral sweetness. A splash of elderflower syrup in lemonade or iced tea is delicious. Just remember: only elder flowers (and cooked ripe berries) are edible; other parts of the plant should not be eaten.
16. Dianthus (Carnations and Pinks)
Dianthus flowers (which include carnations and pinks) are pretty and edible. The petals come in colors like red, pink, and white, often with frilly edges. They have a surprisingly sweet taste with a hint of clove or nutmeg spice. To avoid bitterness, it’s best to cut off the white base of each petal, using just the soft colorful parts. These petals are lovely sprinkled on salads or desserts, imagine a chocolate cake topped with ruby-red carnation petals! They can also be floated on drinks for a petal confetti effect. Their pleasant perfume and mild spice make dianthus petals look and taste elegant.
17. Pea Blossoms
Pea blossoms from edible garden peas (like sugar snap or snow peas) are pretty white or pink flowers that you can eat. They have a light, fresh, pea-like flavor and are floral. Toss a few into a salad for a charming look, it’s neat to taste the gentle sweetness and remember it’s from the same plant that gives you peas! Some chefs use pea blossoms to garnish dishes like spring soups or cocktails for a delicate touch. They make your salad look like a spring meadow. Important: Only eat pea flowers from actual pea plants (Pisum sativum). Don't eat sweet pea flowers from ornamental sweet pea vines, as those are poisonous.
18. Cornflower (Bachelor’s Button)
Cornflowers are those classic bright blue blossoms also known as bachelor’s buttons. They have a slightly spicy, clove-like flavor with a subtle sweetness. The taste is mild, so they’re often used more for their vibrant color than for an intense flavor punch. Cornflower petals look wonderful when torn and sprinkled over salads or used whole to float in fancy drinks. To add color, they’re also common in herbal teas and potpourri mixes. These flowers are about the size of a small daisy, with many frilly petals. Their natural electric blue color (sometimes pink or purple in other varieties) can make any dish pop.
19. Begonia
Begonias might surprise you, but certain types, like tuberous and wax begonias, have edible flowers with bright, citrusy tang. They taste a bit sour, like lemon with a slight bitterness, which can be refreshing. Because of that zingy flavor, begonia petals are great in salads (they pair well with sweet ingredients) or garnish on cocktails and desserts that could use a hint of sour to balance sweetness. The flowers come in many colors, red, pink, orange, white, and have a fleshy, almost translucent look. It is important to note that Begonia flowers contain some oxalic acid, which gives them a sour taste, so people with kidney issues should avoid overeating.
20. Daylily
This colorful flower is entirely edible and adds a sunny pop to any dish. It has a mild, sweet flavor compared to crunchy lettuce or even a hint of cucumber. Daylilies are often tossed into salads to make beautiful dessert toppings. Their big trumpet-shaped blooms can even be stuffed with a tasty filling (like fruit or cream) or fried for a fun treat. Some creative cooks float daylily petals in fancy drinks as a pretty, edible garnish. These cheerful blossoms are safe to eat and make your salad or cocktail feel like summer!.
21. Honeysuckle
Many children enjoy picking honeysuckle flowers to sip the tiny drops of sweet nectar inside. These small, trumpet-shaped blossoms smell like honey and can be white, yellow, or pink. Honeysuckle flowers are safe to eat and have a sweet flavor that’s a lot like honey. People often sprinkle the petals in salads or desserts for a pretty, sweet touch. You can steep the blossoms in hot water to make a floral tea. They can also be cooked with sugar to create a sweet syrup for lemonades or cocktails. Just remember not to eat the berries that grow on this plant, as they can upset your stomach
22. Orchid
Orchids in your cocktail? Certain orchid flowers (like the purple dendrobium orchids often used as garnishes) are edible and safe to consume. Orchids don’t have a strong taste; they’re usually described as having a fresh, crispy flavor similar to lettuce or endive. This mild taste means you can use them mainly for their stunning look without affecting the flavor of your food much. Orchids make lovely cupcake toppers, drink garnishes, or salad additions when you want profound visual impact. Ensure any orchid you eat is grown for consumption or hasn’t been treated with chemicals; the dendrobium varieties used in restaurants are generally food-safe.
Bringing Blossoms to the Table
Edible flowers can transform everyday food into something magical. They add color, aroma, and a touch of whimsy to salads, drinks, and more. From the peppery punch of nasturtiums to the sweet perfume of elderflowers, each bloom offers a unique experience for your taste buds and eyes. Remember always to use flowers you know are safe and pesticide-free. Your salads and cocktails will never look (or taste) the same again. Bon appétit!