Can Flowers Be Eaten?

Yes, flowers can be eaten. In fact, in a world where flowers can be poisonous, you might be surprised to know that some blooms have satisfied stomachs for centuries. Flowers are added to foods to give taste, aroma, and color.

England’s royalty ate violets in salad, candy and hare stew. Ancient Roman’s cooked rose petals with animal brains to make pudding, and America had no dandelions till immigrants brought them from Europe. People fry the petals in pancakes and eat the young leaves in salad or scrambled eggs.

With their powerful and unique flavors, textures and colors, edible flowers have gained popularity as a creative ingredient for the culinary world. Flowers are part of many regional cuisines, including Asian, European, and Middle Eastern cuisines. So now we know what to say when someone asks can flowers be eaten.

Is it okay to eat flowers? Edible flowers are a fun and easy way to add color and flavor to all sorts of dishes — especially when you can pick them right from your own garden. Most edible flowers are best eaten raw—simply pick and rinse with water.

Which flower can be eaten raw? Squash blossoms are one of the more commonly used types of edible flower and not surprisingly, they have a taste reminiscent of raw squash. They can be used similarly to day-lilies. This includes using them in stir fries and using them as a garnish on other dishes.

Content for this question contributed by Sean Smith, resident of Clark, southern Union County, New Jersey, USA