Growing edible flowers

Culture, Media, General Food Gardening, Foraging
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Maybe interesting to some? A list of edibles flowers that you can plant in your garden.

Last year I would like to grow nasturtiums, but it was too late, so it has to be this year!

https://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm

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I have not had good luck with nasturtiums. I think it just gets too hot for them in my climate. Scented geraniums do well and I purchase them as summer potted plants some years. I use the leaves to flavor sugar, simple syrups, brewed tea and fruit compotes. Marigolds are easy to grow here - I’ll have to remember to try eating the flowers this summer! I have both glads and day lilies planted. I hadn’t known the glads were edible -thanks!

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If growing from seed use a nail file and lightly abrade before soaking overnight. I tried that last year and had 100% germination! Prior years my rate was around 40%.

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Thanks for your tips! I read they attract a lot of insects and quite problematic…
Their leaves are edible too.

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Among the list, I have grown:

  • Begonia (didn’t know they were edible)
  • Marigolds (quite easy, but the myth that they make tomatoes healthier doesn’t seem to stand)
  • Dandelions (aren’t they weed?!)
  • Fuchsia (edible?!)
  • giant sunflowers
  • Roses
  • Japanese ginger (Zingiber mioga) got them last autumn, the flowers are edible
  • citrus blossoms
  • zucchini blossoms (grow them for the flowers than for the zucchini)
  • herbs blossoms…

Last year I would like to get the edible jasmin, but didn’t buy the right variety only the India jasmin, smells good, but not edible.

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Chinese dry them to use in soup desserts.

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I’ve eaten the day lilies that grow wild near our cabin. The buds are good sliced and eaten raw, or lightly grilled. The open flowers I’m not so crazy about.

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Thanks for the link. I like growing edible flowers on my deck by the kitchen to throw in salads and desserts. I did not know peony is edible. I have lots of those. I like borage. They really do taste like cucumber but be warned that they reseed like crazy. At least at my house.

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Pretty on desserts too.

BTW, check the Latin names provided to make sure the plants you have are the edible spieces .

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That is a very good point. I plan to investigate the peony before ingesting.