Pretty Delicious! Over 20 Edible Flowers to Plant in Your Garden

Did you know many of your favorite flowers are also good to eat? Edible flowers not only add beauty to your dishes, but they also add flavor and texture. And it's fun to pick fresh flowers from your garden to garnish beautiful cakes, salads, cocktails, and more!

Every flower has its own flavor. Some are peppery, some are sweet, and some have a distinctly floral taste. Just like any other culinary ingredient, you will want to choose the taste that complements the dish.

Although nasturtiums have a peppery flavor, they look beautiful on a cake and are completely edible.

But even as a garnish that you don't intend anyone to eat, if it's on the plate, it should be edible.

And although a flower may be edible, that doesn't always mean it tastes good. Some flowers, while they won't make you sick, aren't palatable. 

And while it's tempting to forage for flowers, if you are going to eat them, it's better to grow your own. Flowers for eating should be grown in soil without toxic chemicals. Just as you would care about the soil of your vegetable garden and the pesticides you use, edible flowers should receive the same consideration.

It’s important to never eat a flower without checking to ensure it’s edible and non-toxic. We'll cover which flowers can be safely added to your meals and maybe inspire you to plant some edible flowers in your garden.

Some of the most commonly eaten flowers are those that grow on herbs, of course. Often, they’re used in an infusion or herbal tea.

When using flowers from herbs, it is worth knowing that flowers can taste different from the rest of the plant. 

Chamomile flowers are probably the most well-known edible flowers. Usually, they are consumed as a tea. Echinacea, mint, and bergamot are also all herb flowers that make delightful brews.

Borage flowers are known for their mild cucumber flavor. Lovage has a celery flavor. Hyssop flowers have a minty flavor that is milder than the leaves.

Rosemary, chives, and dill flowers are just as edible as their leaves and can be added to a dish for a gorgeous garnish. 

Don't give up on your cilantro when it starts to flower. Use these as a touch of beauty. Oregano flowers can also be used for flavor and looks.

Lavender shortbread is scrumptious. The flowers add a hint of floral flavor to offset the sweetness and add a special touch.

Many flowers that we think of as ornamental are also edible.

Nasturtiums add a peppery bite and complement meat dishes and salads. 

With their array of colors, pansies are a popular choice for embellishing desserts and other dishes. Pansies are a colorful addition with a fresh lettuce-like flavor.

Sugared pansies and rose petals are stylish and are beautiful edible flowers for cake decorations. 

Rose petals are the main ingredient in rosewater, which is a common flavoring in Mediterranean and Indian cuisine.

Hibiscus is another common tea beverage, full of antioxidants and bursting with tangy flavor!

Calendula is a bright annual flower with a long history of medicinal use. Not to be confused with marigolds, heirloom calendula is edible. 

You don't have to wait for your vegetables to mature before you start eating. Some of the most popular vegetable flowers to eat are squash and zucchini. Scarlet runner beans have edible flowers.

For other vegetable flowers, you have to wait. Of course, broccoli is a vegetable flower that we are used to eating, but have you tried arugula flowers?

Garlic blossoms are purple and have a milder garlic flavor that adds a surprising bit of variety to your meal.

Squash and zucchini blossoms are often battered, stuffed, and fried. Try to make sure you’re only picking the male blooms to eat, as the female flowers will develop into squash.

There are a variety of edible common weeds and native plants. Skilled foragers who know what to look for can gather a whole salad over the course of a hike.

Dandelions have an amazing nutritional profile from flower to root. Dandelion fritters are a tasty, inexpensive treat to add to your meal. 

Violets, which are considered a weed in some places, make a great salad. Wisteria adds a lovely bit of color to a salad. Honeysuckle makes a deliciously sweet garnish.

Be careful when foraging. Don't pick in areas that have been exposed to pesticides or toxic chemicals. Growing your own plants to forage is always the safest option.