Edible Blossoms
The following plants have edible blossoms and make excellent additions to both the bee-attracting and culinary garden! Of course, in some cases the bees will be fonder of the blossoms than humans, but that is a choice that everyone will make for themselves.
Most people would never have considered eating flowers. At least not since childhood. All the same, it does "spice up" your dishes and make dinner parties interesting when you add edible blossoms to your recipes. I have even been to a large wedding banquet where the flowers were carefully picked from the garden of the hotel that morning.
It may go without saying, but I will say it anyway. People more often use weed killers and pesticides on flowers than on vegetables. This is because they are not expecting them to be eaten by humans. So be careful about where you get your flowers. Only eat blossoms if you know it is safe to do so and that they of an edible variety.
This table may help.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|
Borage |
Borage officinalis | For more about Borage, look here. |
Beebalm |
Monarda didyma | Beebalm is also known as Bergamot and Oswego Tea. It is native to North America. |
Calendula (Pot Marigold) |
Calendula officinalis | For more about Calendula, look here. |
Carnations |
Dianthus | |
Chrysanthemum |
Chrysanthemum morifolium | |
Citrus |
||
Daylilies |
Hemerocallis | |
English Daisy |
Bellis perennis | Young flower buds and leaves can be eten raw in salads. |
Fuchsia |
The genus Fuchsia includes about 100 species. | |
Geranium |
Pelargonium | |
Gladiolus |
Gladiolus hortulanus and its many derivatives. | |
Hollyhock |
Althaea rosea | |
Lavender |
Lavandula vera | |
Lilac |
Syringa | |
Marigold |
Tagates | Marigolds are commonly grown near vegetable plots as natural insect repellents. |
Nasturtiums |
Tropaeolum majus | Use fresh flowers and young leaves in salads. |
Pansy |
Viola hortensis | Growing tip: Pansies are heavy feeders. Use lots of compost or well-decayed manure before planting. |
Rose |
Rosa | |
Squash |
The fruit of vines of the genus Cucurbita. | Squash plants produce male and female flowers. For fruit to set, pollen must be transferred from the male to the female flowers. Honey bees are the main pollinators for squash. |
Viola |
Viola cornuta |
Sustainable Living Quote:
In the natural order of things, the fittest are not those that fight well, but those that avoid fighting altogether, and thereby learn to use resources efficiently- Tony Stebbing and Gordon Heath
(Green Futures, September/October 2002)