By Beatriz Spalding

Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Lecturer

Iowa State University

Flowers. Most are colorful and fragrant, and beautiful in vases and garlands. But some flowers have a place in the kitchen as well, where they add color and new flavors to a variety of sweet and savory dishes, jellies, wines and salads. Cakes take a new dimension when decorated with crystallized petals, and a slice of freshly baked bread becomes the perfect comfort food when topped with aromatic flower-favored butter.

Edible flowers have been used since ancient times, often for medicinal purposes, in teas and potions. Today, the use of edible flowers has acquired new popularity, especially in the culinary world, where old dishes from different cultures get revisited and modified to satisfy the inquisitive palates of adventurous eaters. Try daylily buds in Chinese stir-fry dishes and squash blossoms in cheese-oozing quesadillas. Or try dandelion flower jelly on lavender-scented scones and nasturtium flowers stuffed with guacamole.

If you want to be creative with flowers in the kitchen, know what you are eating. Whenever in doubt about the identity or toxicity of a flower, it is very important to consult an expert on the subject, such as a botanist, experienced gardener or horticulturist. Some flowers, in fact, are poisonous and should be avoided completely, even if their use is merely decorative. People prone to allergies and hay fever should be cautious in eating flowers, and experiment with different edible species, and always in small amounts.

Flowers obtained from florists and nurseries, where pesticides are often used, also should be avoided.  It would be best to grow edible flowers in your own backyard, following the same gardening practices as for ornamental flower gardens, and completely avoiding the use of noxious chemicals. Flowers used in cooking should also be inspected for insects and dirt, and carefully cleaned to avoid bruising of the petals. The reproductive parts, usually found in the center of the flower, should be removed because they often have a bitter taste.  The flowers should then be refrigerated in a closed container along with a damp paper towel until ready to use.

So, if you want to create new dishes or improve old ones and impress your guests and loved ones, do so next time with flowers on the table, and . . .on their plates!

Some of the most common edible flowers include: borage, daylily, calendula, chamomile, chives, citrus blossom, dandelion, lavender, nasturtium, pansy, rose, scented geranium, squash blossom, volet and the flowers of most aromatic herbs.  For more information on edible flowers, download a copy of Edible Flowers (RG 302) from ISU Extension, at www.extension.iastate.edu/store

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