One of the things I love most about gardening is getting to grow things you won’t find at the grocery store. And I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen any nasturtiums in the produce aisle lately.
Growing your own edible flowers is a really fun way to add some color to your recipes. These flowers can be used as pretty little garnishes on desserts, tossed into salads to be eaten fresh, frozen in ice cubes, added to butter or cheese boards, or brewed as tea.
Here’s something else really cool about edible flowers: You know how you’re supposed to eat the rainbow to ensure you’re getting different vitamins and antioxidants in your diet? Well, edible flowers count. So toss some yellow flowers on a green dish to get your vitamin C, or add some red flowers to a salad to get more anthocyanins.
Let’s look at 15 edible flowers that are super easy to grow in your vegetable garden and ways you can enjoy them in your kitchen.
1. Nasturtiums
Flavor: Peppery, similar to radishes
Uses: Great in salads, sandwiches, and as a garnish
Health Benefits: Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants
The leaves, seeds, and flowers of the nasturtium plant are all edible. These plants have the island paradise vibe of hibiscus but on fast-growing vines. You can find nasturtium varieties with flowers in shades of pink, orange, red, and gold.
If you want to pretend you’re on a beach somewhere, use nasturtiums as a fun drink topper for this tropical blueberry and banana smoothie.
Pro tip: Soak nasturtium seeds overnight before planting them to improve germination.
Learn more about growing nasturtiums from seed.
2. Lavender
Flavor: Sweet and slightly citrusy
Uses: Perfect for baked goods, teas, and infused syrups
Health Benefits: Known for its calming effects and anti-inflammatory properties
Lavender is such an easy perennial herb to grow in your garden (as long as you don’t overwater it). You can grow it by seed or head to your local nursery to pick up a plant for a couple bucks.
I love rubbing the leaves of my lavender plants between my fingers to release the heavenly scent, and when my plants flower, it’s time for lavender lemonade tea and lavender scones. Just avoid steeping lavender flowers for too long if you’re making tea or they can become bitter.
Learn more about growing lavender at home.
3. Calendula
Flavor: Slightly tangy and peppery
Uses: Ideal for salads, soups, and garnishing
Health Benefits: Contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties
Also called pot marigold, calendula is a must-grow in nice, cool weather. The flowers resemble daisies and draw tons of pollinators to your space. You can find seeds for varieties in shades of yellow, orange, and pink (my favorite type is Sherbet Fizz cuz it’s fun to say). Even if you don’t plan on harvesting blooms regularly, this is just an all-around great flower to have in your garden.
Learn more about growing calendula from seed to harvest.
4. Borage
Flavor: Cucumber-like
Uses: Excellent in salads, beverages, and as a garnish
Health Benefits: Known to support adrenal glands and boost energy
Borage is a flowering herb with edible leaves, stems, and flowers. Its dainty blue flowers are beloved by pollinators. If you don’t mind taking some food from the butterflies, you can toss the flowers in your salad bowl for texture and pops of blue. You can also use them to make a beautiful purpley homemade dye—that would be a fun project to do with kids!
Pro Tip: Borage plants are covered in little hairs that can irritate your skin. I make sure to wear gardening gloves and long sleeves when I’m handling my borage.
5. Squash Blossoms
Flavor: Mild and slightly sweet
Uses: Great for stuffing, frying, or adding to pasta dishes
Health Benefits: Low in calories and high in essential nutrients
Squash blossoms are actually considered a delicacy in some places. If you’re already growing a squash plant, you might as well enjoy the pretty yellow blossoms! Just don’t harvest them all or you won’t end up with any squash.
Learn more about growing summer squash.
6. Chamomile
Flavor: Apple-like and sweet
Uses: Perfect for teas, desserts, and soothing syrups
Health Benefits: Promotes relaxation, reduces inflammation, and aids in digestion
Nothing says sleepy time like a steaming cup of chamomile tea. There’s no need to buy chamomile tea from the store when these plants are so easy to grow from seed in your garden. I love the cottage-garden vibes of these pretty white flowers. (There are two different types of chamomile. German chamomile is the one most commonly used for teas.)
Note: It’s a good idea to avoid consuming chamomile if you’re allergic to ragweed since they’re closely related. You also might want to check with your doctor before drinking chamomile tea while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
7. Roselle Hibiscus
Flavor: Tart and cranberry-like
Uses: Ideal for teas, jams, and beverages
Health Benefits: Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants; supports heart health and immune system
These beautiful flowers get their bright red hue from an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which helps us fight cancer-causing free radicals. Roselle is super easy to grow from seed. If you’ve grown okra, then you pretty much already know how to grow roselle because they’re closely related. This plant is perennial in warm climates, but most people grow it as an annual.
8. Arugula & Broccoli Flowers
Flavor: spicy like arugula and earthy like broccoli
Uses: Perfect for tossing into salads or sauté them with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Health Benefits: Great sources of vitamins A and C
You’re probably not growing these plants for their flowers, but now you won’t be upset if you miss your harvest window and notice your plants are bolting, or going to seed. Pollinators absolutely love the dainty white arugula flowers and the gorgeous yellow broccoli flowers. These blooms taste pretty much like the plant part you’re used to eating. Broccoli flowers are even considered a delicacy in some places!
9. Marigolds
Flavor: Citrusy and slightly tangy
Uses: Great in salads, teas, soups, and as a decorative garnish
Health Benefits: Contains lutein and supports eye health
Marigolds are so easy to grow and they’re really handy little flowers to have in your garden considering they both repel pests and attract beneficial insects. Some marigold flowers are a little bitter for my taste, but others are really tasty. You’ll have to do your own experiment to see which types you like!
Pro Tip: Try removing the white part of the petal to reduce bitterness.
10. Dandelions
Flavor: Sweet and honey-like when young, more bitter as it matures
Uses: Perfect for salads, teas, and honey infusions
Health Benefits: Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, plus iron, calcium, and potassium; supports liver health
Dandelions used to be cultivated in vegetable gardens. During some point in time, our ancestors stopped eating dandelion and labeled it a weed instead, which is a real shame! Dandelions are way more nutritious than so many of the veggies you can find in the produce aisle these days, and they just pop up in your yard. Enjoy both the flowers and the younger leaves (older leaves can taste a little bitter, the same way older lettuce leaves do).
11. Bee Balm
Flavor: Combines hints of mint and oregano
Culinary Uses: Great for teas, salads, and garnishing
Health Benefits: Rich in vitamin C, which can help boost your immune system
Bee balm is a beautiful little plant that’s super easy to grow. Lemon bee balm pops up all over open fields here in Central Texas. To grow your own flowers, just sprinkle some seeds in a spot that gets good sun. Make sure you like that spot because you’re definitely going to get more bee balm there next year. The petals have a slightly citrusy taste that could serve as a mint substitute in both sweet and savory meals.
12. Pansies & Violas
Flavor: Mildly sweet and similar to lettuce but slightly grassier
Uses: Ideal for salads, soups, desserts, and as a decorative garnish
Health Benefits: Contains antioxidants and vitamins A and C; supports skin health
These hardy little flowers add so much color to your vegetable garden when it’s nice and cool out. It’s so easy to harvest some blooms and use them to adorn your next culinary confection—add some nutrients to all those carbs!
13. Rose
Flavor: Sweet, floral, and slightly fruity
Uses: Perfect for desserts, teas, syrups, and as a decorative garnish for ice cream
Health Benefits: Rich in vitamins A and C; known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties
I’m sure we’ve all dipped our fingers in rose water, but have you ever thought about eating a petal? There are so many beautiful rose varieties to grow in your garden, including climbing roses that look gorgeous on a trellis. You’ll find that the darker the rose petal, the stronger the flavor. Try freezing some rose petals in ice cubes to jazz up your water if you’re looking for a low-stakes way to introduce edible flowers into your diet.
14. Chive Blossoms
Flavor: Mild onion flavor
Uses: Wonderful in salads and soups; pan fry or steep in vinegar to make chive blossom vinaigrette
Health Benefits: High in vitamins A, C, and K; supports bone health and regulates blood pressure
These pale purple flowers aren’t just for looking. They have all the oniony strength of their green stem counterparts. Harvest flowers when they’re young and just opening up for the best flavor. This is when they’ll also turn your vinaigrette the prettiest shade of bright pink.
15. Butterfly Pea Flowers
Flavor: Very mild herbal green tea flavor
Uses: Wonderful in teas, salads, or garnishing
Health Benefits: High in antioxidants benefiting hair, skin, and digestion
These flowers hardly have any flavor at all, but gosh, are they cute! They’re commonly used for tea and herbal remedies in Southeast Asia, where they’re native. To grow your own, I recommend giving them some trellis space so they can climb.
Pro Tip: Soak these pea seeds overnight before planting them to improve germination.
COMMON FAQ’S FOR EDIBLE FLOWERS
Follow these tips for the tastiest (and safest) floral treats.
CAN YOU EAT THE WHOLE FLOWER?
While you can technically eat the whole flower, it’s best to focus on the petals for the majority of these flowers. Pull the petals off of the base and discard the interior parts, which can taste bitter. Removing the stamen (the part that collects pollen) can also help you avoid potential allergies.
CAN I PICK WILD EDIBLE FLOWERS?
Stick with flowers you’ve grown yourself. You could consider eating flowers that have popped up in your yard if you don’t spray your lawn with herbicides or pesticides (and don’t have an animal that might have gone to the bathroom on them!). You also want to be very confident that you’ve correctly identified the flower. When in doubt, enjoy it as a cut flower.
HOW SHOULD I PREPARE MY FLOWERS BEFORE EATING?
Wash flowers before consuming them, same as you would any veggie from your garden.
HOW LONG DO EDIBLE FLOWERS LAST?
Enjoy your flowers as fresh as possible for the best nutrients and flavor. That is, unless you plan to dry them. Edible flowers can be stored in the refrigerator for 4-6 days but are best used within 2-3 days.
