In addition to perfume with their subtle flavor or their stronger taste many culinary preparations, edible flowers bring a touch of color and of refinement to our plates. Very fashionable, they inspire starred Chefs and other most renowned chefs on a daily basis, most of whom cultivate their own edible flowers in order to pick them when tasting because, served raw, they are extremely easy to eat. fresh. Flowers with a sweet, peppery, salty, floral or fruity flavor, here is a small selection of edible flowering plants that can be cultivated without hesitation in the garden or even in pots on the terrace.
Arugula flower (Eruca sativa)
Arugula is an annual herbaceous plant from the family of Brassicaceae eaten as a salad. Its flowers with creamy white or pale yellow petals have purplish streaks and are cross-shaped. They collect from april to september and can be added, among other things, to a tomato salad with basil. Their flavor is reminiscent of arugula leaves but is less present.
The pansy flower (Viola cornuta)
Pansy is a small plant of the family of Violaceae. She blooms from June until frost. Pansy flowers can be harvested as and when needed, whose sweet floral flavor goes perfectly with many desserts but also with many vegetables, fish and meats. They are also used to make syrups, soups, or even in crystallized decorations to enhance pastries. These edible flowers whose petals seem to be sculpted in velvet, come in a rich palette of bright colors that enhance all the dishes in which they are incorporated.
Dill flower (Anethum graveolens)
The fresh leaves of Dill, a plant in the dill family Apiaceae, work wonders with fish. As for its umbels of edible yellow flowers, they bloom from July to September. They go divinely with salmon and other fish, seafood, fresh cheeses, potatoes and raw vegetables. We love their original aniseed taste and great freshness.
Marigold flower (Tagetes patula)
Marigold, from the family of Asteraceae, is a herbaceous plant very commonly grown in beds, borders and planters. Its edible flowers bloom in abundance from the month May to October. They are very popular for their various flavors depending on the variety. With a taste of tarragon, anise, passion fruit or even lemon, Marigold flowers can be used at will to flavor and decorate multiple preparations such as polenta, green beans, apple puree of earth, lemon pie. They can also flavor a vodka-based digestive (to be consumed in moderation).
Garlic flower (Allium sativum)
This perennial vegetable belongs to the family of Amaryllidaceae. Its pod with a powerful taste makes garlic a condiment plant of choice. Its pink or white flowers, grouped in umbels, are few. They collect from June to the end of August. Used raw or cooked, they flavor tomato salads, raw vegetables, eggs, green beans, meat stuffing and many other dishes.
Zucchini flower (Pumpkin pie)
Zucchini belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae. Easy to grow, this vegetable plant produces large male and female flowers. It is the male, sterile flowers that are picked if you want to produce zucchini after the female flowers. The former have a slightly bitter taste while the latter are delicately sweet. Zucchini flowers can be eaten stuffed, in fritters or as a garnish. They are harvested with great delicacy, from spring to october depending on the variety grown, but always at dawn when they are fully open.
The flower of Grande Nasturtium (A larger trophy)
Nasturtium is a herbaceous plant of the family of Tropaeolaceae that is grown as an ornamental climbing plant but also for its edible flowers which work wonders from June until the first frosts. Superb with their beautiful orange color, they bring a spicy flavor similar to that of watercress, to salads, raw vegetables, hot and cold sauces. Nasturtium flower buds can even be preserved in a good vinegar.
Snapdragon flower (Antirrhinus major)
Also called Snapdragonthis plant of the family of Scrophulariaceae comes in a thousand varieties and cultivars. Its edible flower, which is harvested from the beginning of June to the end of September, stands out for its well-marked taste. She does not lack character. It is therefore with a light hand that it is incorporated into salads to which it brings a spicy flavor and a hint of bitterness. Snapdragon flower or Snapdragon flower can be used raw or candied.
Other edible flower ideas to grow in the garden
There are thousands of plants whose flowers are edible. They fully deserve to find a place in the garden or in pots and planters, on the balcony, the terrace or the edge of a window according to their needs in terms of exposure.
- Lavender,
- Pineapple sage,
- Dandelion,
- Mimosa,
- Sweet Pea,
- Lin rouge,
- Yellow Para watercress,
- Hysope,
- blueberry,
- Elderberry,
- Daisy,
- Borage,
- Marguerite,
- Chive,
- Carnation of Poet,
- Mauve,
- Chamomile,
- Primrose,
- Worry,
- Begonia…
This list is far from being exhaustive.
Edible flowers: precautions to take
Before consuming flowers, it is of course everyone’s responsibility to ensure that they do not have a pollen allergy. If you decide to harvest edible flowers in the wild, you have to be careful because confusion is easy. We can indeed confuse an edible flower with another physically very similar flower without being edible. It might even turn out toxic. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to take your pickings to a pharmacist as it is advisable to do after collecting mushrooms in the wild.
Finally, we recommend harvest edible flowers at the right time and to prepare them according to the rules of the art by consulting the literature dealing with gastronomy. Some must be passed under a trickle of fresh water, or rid of their pistils or their stamens if these elements are likely to bring bitterness to the dishes. Some are eaten raw, others cooked, while still others support all types of preparations. Watch out, fragile! In any case, when eaten raw, the petals of edible flowers must be detached just before serving because they are extremely delicate and spoil quickly.