Crystallized violets arranged on an iced wedding cake can beat any other decoration. That’s just one of the hundreds of flowers you can eat. Violets and its relatives like pansies are equally pretty and edible. Unfortunately, all pretty flowers are not edible; some are downright poisonous, even fatal. Learn to identify the edible ones from the non-edibles, or better still, grow the edibles yourself.

Why eat flowers?

Except for the flowers that have been eaten traditionally as a food item, like cauliflower and broccoli, and a few others from the tropics like papaya, moringa and banana flowers, they may not serve as dishes in themselves or add substantially to the nutritional content of our food. However, they add a touch of novelty and special interest when you toss a few into salad or a dessert dish. Some add a tinge of sweetness or tang; some a peppery flavor. Being colorful as they are, they might be contributing their share of antioxidant pigments too, albeit in minute quantities. If anything, it’s their visual impact that is most interesting.

Why grow edible flowers?

Flowers are often the most fragile part of the plant. They wilt all too fast, and get bruised all too easily. The flowers that seem to hold up well at the florists are specially treated for longevity. We wouldn’t want any chemical treatment done on those we want to eat. In fact, the worries about pesticides and other chemical contamination is the strongest argument in favor of growing edible flowers in our own garden.

And if you’re already growing a few vegetables and fruits, some of them will do double service, offering their blooms to enhance your meals. There are many garden flowers that you can pinch off for your dinner, too.

Some edible flowers that you should consider growing:

1. Herb flowers. Most herbs of culinary use have flowers that are equally edible; they may have similar, but slightly milder, flavors, too. Fennel, bee balm, angelica, thyme, coriander, basil, etc. are examples.

2. Allium family. There’s a saying that any plant that looks like onions or garlic and also smells like them is edible. There are non-edible lilies with narrow leaves and onion-like bulbs. There’s a climber called garlic vine (Mansoa alliacea) which just smells like garlic. Only if both the criteria are met, they’ll be edible. Nevertheless, it’s not advisable to take a risk with any plant unless you know exactly what it is. You have enough choices with shallots, chives, leeks and scallions, besides garlic and onion. Even the large flower heads of society garlic are edible.

3. Rose family. Rose bushes are just one of the rose family members with edible flowers. Apple blossoms are just as pretty on a plate as they are on the trees. Do a bit of flower thinning on your trees. While you get to enjoy the flowers, the fruits will grow bigger because of it.

4. Mallow family. Hibiscus, okra, marsh mallow, hollyhock, even the color-changing blossom of sea hibiscus are all edible. Remove the central staminal tube before you stir fry them. Dried hibiscus flowers are used for making hibiscus tea.

5. Cucumber family. The male flowers of pumpkins and squashes have always been plucked for the table. Check for a fat portion on the flower stalk found right below the female flower; you don’t want to sacrifice your vegetable crop for a few flowers.

6. Violet family. Pretty as a picture, violets, pansies, violas and Johnny jump ups all make excellent garnishes and decorations on dessert dishes. Grow them in pots or as a hedging for a regular supply.

7. Sunflower family. They have composite flowers. The outer petals belong to the female flowers. Pull them off a pot marigold or a dandelion and add to salads. Not all members of this large family are edible, though. Whole dandelion flowers are used to make tea.

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Edible flowers for different areas of your garden:

Climbers – Some climbers with stunning edible flowers are nasturtiums, maypop, also called passion flower, and red runner beans (flowers of many other beans varieties are edible, too).

Aquatic plants — Water hyacinth and the native variety of fragrant white water lily (Nymphaea odorata) have edible flowers. Use them in stir fries.

Cacti — Opuntias (prickly pear cactus) cultivated for their edible pads (nopales) and fruits have edible flowers too, if you are brave enough to pluck them…..more here

  Source: www.offthegridnews.com