Dozens of common garden plants produce edible flowers; check out this guide for tips on harvesting and using them in your kitchen.
By Randel A. Agrella
Summer 2016
Learn more about common edible flowers in the article An Introduction to Edible Flowers.
| Plant Name | Botanical Name | Flower Color | Bloom Period | Taste | Fragrance | Comments & Hints |
| Angelica | Angelica achangelica | Lavender to rose | Spring-blooming biennial | Strong anise, sweet, licorice | Candies and compotes | |
| Anise hyssop | Agastache foeniculum | Lavender | July to frost | Strong anise, sweet, licorice | Makes an excellent tea base | |
| Apple or crabapple | Malus spp. | White to pink | May | Slightly floral to sour | Sweet floral | Petals may be candied. Seeds are poisonous |
| Artichoke | Cynara scolymus | Immature head: green | Fall | Artichoke | ||
| Arugula, Rocket | Eruca vesicaria | White | May to frost | Nutty, smoke, less piquant than leaves | Salad green. Cream-colored petals with delicate burgundy veining are very pretty | |
| Bachelor’s Button | Centaurea cyanus | White to pink, red, blue purple | Early summer | Grassy | Discard the bitter calyx | |
| Basil | Ocimum basilicum | White to pale pink | July to frost | Milder than leaves, spicy | ||
| Bergamot, bee balm, Oswego tea | Monarda didyma | Red, pink, white, lavender | July to August | Tea-like, more aromatic than leaves | Sweet, perfumed | |
| Borage | Boraga officinalis | Blue, purple to lavender | June to July | Mild cucumber | Use as garnish; may be candied | |
| Broccoli, cauliflower | Brassica spp. | Buds: blue-green; yellow flower, white buds in cauliflower | June to August | Broccoli | ||
| Burnet | Poterium sanguisorba | Red | July to August | Cucumber | Salad herb. Flowers are red-brown somewhat complex and striking-looking | |
| Calendula, pot marigold | Calendula officinalis | Yellow, gold/orange | June to August | Tangy and peppery, sometimes bitter | Ornamental. Dries well. Inexpensive saffron substitute, adds color to rice dishes. Use in scrambled eggs | |
| Chervil | Anthriscus cerefolium | White | May to June | Parsley-like, hint of citrus, anise or tarragon | ||
| Chicory | Cichorium intybus | Blue to lavender | July to frost | Pleasant, mild-bitter similar to endive | Buds sometimes pickled in place of capers | |
| Chive | Allium schoenoprasum | Lavender, red to purple | May to June | Onion, strong | Onion | Separate florets to serve |
| Chrysanthemum | Dendrathema x grandiflorum | Red, yellow, pink, orange, purple, white | August to October | Varieties differ, strong to bitter, peppery | Pungent | Tea |
| Coriander | Coriandrum sativum | White | June to frost | Like leaf but milder | Fragrant | Herb |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale | Yellow | May to June; fall | Sweet and honey-like, sometimes bitter | Eat cooked only | |
| Daylily | Hemerocallis fulva | Tawny orange | June to July | Cooked, combination of asparagus/zucchini | All parts are edible | |
| Carnation, pinks | Dianthus spp. | Pink, white and red | June to August | Spicy, sweet or clove-like | Some varieties are spicier | |
| Dill | Anethum graveolens | Yellow | June to frost | Stronger than leaves | Dill | |
| English daisy | Bellis perennis | White to purple petals | April to September | Mild to bitter | Use as garnish or in salads | |
| Fennel | Foeniculum vulgare | Pale yellow | July to August | Licorice, milder than leaves, sweet | ||
| Fuchsia | Fuchsia spp. | Purples, red | Late spring to frost | Very vibrant colors, exotic appearance | ||
| Garden chrysanthemum, shungiku | Chrysanthemum coronarium | Yellow to white | August to October | Mild | Try including immature buds in stir-fry, use whole flowers as garnish | |
| Garden pea | Pisum sativum | White, tinged pink | May to June | Raw peas | Vegetable | |
| Garden sage | Salvia officinalis | Blue, purple, white, pink | May to July | Flowery sage, slightly musky | Herb | |
| Garlic chive | Allium tuberosum | White | August to frost | Onion, strong | Onion | Separate florets to serve |
| Gladiolus | Gladiolus spp. | Various except true blue | 6-8 weeks after planting | Bland, lettuce-like | Best stuffed, as a container for dips or spreads, or garnish. Comes in many shades and color combinations | |
| Hibiscus, China rose, rose-of-China | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | Orange, red or purplish red | Late summer | Citrus/cranberry flavor | Subtropical tree but may be grown indoors. Used in many tea flavorings | |
| Hollyhock | Alcea rosea | Various | July to frost | Little, slightly bitter | Main value is their color. Best as a garnish or container for dip | |
| Honeysuckle | Lonicera spp. | Usually pale yellow to white | Spring-summer | Sweet nectar | Sweet fragrance | Makes a delicate garnish. Avoid the toxic berries |
| Hyssop | Hyssopus officinalis | Blue, pink, white | July to October | Bitter; similar to tonic | Used to flavor chartreuse, a liqueur; strong flavor | |
| Lavender | Lavandula angustifolia | Lavender, purple, pink, white | June to early August | Highly perfumed, sweet | Floral | Used in sugars, custards, honeys, cakes, waters and vinegars. Add petals to salads, baked goods, ice cream. Use in savory dishes as well, or as a garnish |
| Lemon | Citrus limon | White | Varies with variety | Citrus, slightly bitter | Sweet floral | Subtropical tree but ma be grown indoors |
| Lemon balm | Melissa officinalis | Creamy white | July to August | Lemony, sweet | Lemon | Herb |
| Lemon verbena | Lippia citriodora | White | August to September | Lemon | Dessert, seafood, as a tea | |
| Lilac | Syringa vulgaris | White, pink, purple, lilac | April to May | Perfume, slightly bitter to lemony | Lilac | Flavor varies markedly from one variety to another. Candies well |
| Lovage | Levisticum officinale | Yellow, white | August | Mild celery | Herb | |
| Marjoram | Origanum majorana | Pale pink | June to August | Spicy, sweet | Herb | |
| Mint | Mentha spp. | Lavender, pink to white | July to September | Minty, milder than leaves | Fresh, minty | Herb |
| Mustard | Brassica spp. | Yellow | April to May | Mustard, hot | Salad garnish. Watch for allergies | |
| Nasturtium | Tropaeolum majus | Red, orange, yellow, white | July to August | Watercress-flavored, slightly sweet to peppery | Paler flowers tend to taste milder. Whole or diced in salads. Stuff with mousse, mascarpone or crèma fraîche for an appetizer | |
| Okra, gumbo | Abelmoschus aesculentus | Yellow, red | Mid-summer to frost | Mild, sweet and slightly mucilaginous | ||
| Orange | Citrus sinensis | White | Varies | Citrus, sweet/strong | Perfume, sweet | Subtropical tree but may be grown indoors |
| Oregano | Origanum spp. | White | June to August | Spicy, pungent-like leaves | Herb | |
| Oxeye daisy | Chrysanthemum leucanthemum | White/yellow center | April to August | Mild | Use as garnish or in salad | |
| Pansy, Johnny jump-up | Viola x wittrockiana, Viola tricolor | Violet, white, pink, yellow, multi-colored | May to July | Mild, tart, slightly wintergreen-flavored | Sometimes very pronounced sweet fragrance | Use in fruit dishes, salads, pastas and drinks. Top crackers with cream cheese. May be served whole |
| Pineapple sage | Salvia elegans | Scarlet | September | Pineapple/sage overtones | Herb | |
| Plum | Prunus spp. | Pink to white | April to May | Mild, like flower nectar | Sweet | Petals candy well. Pits of mature fruit are poisonous |
| Radish | Raphanus sativus | White, pink, yellow | One month after planting | Spicy, sharp and peppery | Over-mature radish root yield blooms | |
| Red clover | Trifolium pratense | Pink, lilac | June to September | Hay | Hay | Scatter florets on salad |
| Redbud | Cercis canadensis | Pink | April | Beanlike to tart apple | Native tree to Eastern U.S. | |
| Roman chamomile | Anthemis nobilis | White petals; yellow center | Late June to frost | Sweet apple flavor | Ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile; drink no more than one cup of tea per day | |
| Rose | Rosa spp. | White, pink, yellow, red, orange | May to June, September | Highly perfumed; sweet to bitter | Rose | Remove sour petal base. Infuse into water or vinegar. Distill into oil or syrups. Float petals in drinks or strew on desserts |
| Rose-of-Sharon | Hibiscus syriacus | Red, white, purple, violet | July to August | Mild, nutty | Shrub | |
| Roselle | Hibiscus sabdariffa | Red, varies | Tart and fruity | Makes a citrus-like tea | ||
| Rosemary | Rosmarinus officinalis | Pale blue, dark blue, pink, white | Depends on cultivar | Mild rosemary | Delicate | Use raw as a garnish |
| Safflower, American safflower, false saffron | Carthamus tinctorius | Yellow to deep red | August | Bitter flavor | May impart yellow color to cooked foods | |
| Saffron | Crocus sativus | Lavender-purple | September to October | Bitter, aromatic | Complex | Used for color and flavor. Use only the 3 threadlike stigmas produced per flower |
| Scarlet runner bean | Phaseolus coccineus | Bright orange to scarlet or white | July to August | Raw bean but milder | Vegetable. Flower crunchy; use in salad | |
| Scented geranium | Pelargonium spp. | White, red, pink, purple | Varies | Like variety selected, e.g., rose, lemon; varies | Mild | Ornamental |
| Signet marigold | Tagetes tenuifolia | White, gold, yellow, red | May to September | Citrus; milder than T. erecta | Ornamental | |
| Squash or pumpkin | Cucurbita spp. | Orange, yellow | July to August | Mild, raw squash | Slightly floral | Stuff whole blooms, or batter and fry. Slice crosswise for a bizarre and spectacular garnish |
| Summer savory | Satureja hortensis | Pink | July to August | Mildly peppery, spicy | Herb | |
| Thyme | Thymus spp. | Pink, purple, white | July to August | Milder than leaves | Herb. Most creeping thymes have little flavor | |
| Violet | Viola odorata | Violet, pink, white | April to May | Sweet | Sweet, floral | Use as a garnish, in salads. Candies well |
| Winter savory | Satureja montana | Pale blue to purple | July to August | Mildly peppery, spicy | Herb | |
| Yucca | Yucca filamentosa | Creamy white with purple tinge | July | Hint of artichoke, slightly bitter | Ornamental |
