Edible Flowers

Flowers not only bring beauty to our world, they can add a splash of color or some extra zest to your favorite dishes. I use quite a few edible flowers in and around my garden. Along with getting to harvest them for eating, they encourage pollinators to the garden which some plants rely on in order to grow. Below is a list of some of my favorite edibles:

• Beebalm - Tangy & citrusy. Great for salads, garnish or drying for tea.

• Calendula - great to add to tuna & chicken salad, green salads and tea. When dried, you can use calendula as a substitute for saffron. Calendula is also great for making skin tonics and the seeds are very easy to harvest for the next year.calendula

• Chamomile - apple type flavor. Germans use chamomile tea as Kinder Tea: it helps soothe tummies, has anti-inflammatory properties and is a great night time tea.

• Chives - many of us use the green stems, but the flowers are edible too. They taste very similar to the stems. Great for salads, garnish and for herb vinegars.

• Hibiscus - Hypotensive, antispasmodic, anthelmintic, antibacterial, diuretic.  Several recent studies have shown that drinking hibiscus tea may help to lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol, deter the oxidation of free radicals, and prevent kidney disease associated with diabetic nephropathy.

As a natural febrifuge, roselle contains citric acid which is a natural coolant. Pakistanis and Nepalese use used it relieve fever in adults and children.

A strong decoction can be introduced into a bath or used for steam inhalation to treat coughs. Hibiscus is often combined with other herbs to make a cough syrup. Hibiscus is used in Cuba to treat respiratory illnesses

Contains hypotensive compounds lowering to blood pressure. The plant’s ascorbic and glycolic acid increase urination.

Hibiscus is a natural emollient, used for softening or healing the skin.  In northern South America it is used in treatment of hair loss and scurvy. In the Cook Islands and Philippines highly concentrated preparations of flowers are used as an abortifacent.

Used as a dietary addition to reduce LDL cholesterol. It can be made into a beautiful red wine which is sometimes mixed with tea leaves.

The plant is being studied for its abilities to effectively treat ascariasis and tuberculosis.

• Lavender - Lavender has a distinct taste, some contend that English Lavender is better for culinary purposes, however I almost always use Provencal Lavender (French). Great for vinegars, jellies, salad & baking.lavender

• Nasturtium - Spicy and peppery. Great for salads and garnish. Dry them for tea or pickle the flower buds to substitute for capers. Nasturtium seeds are very easy to harvest for using the next year.

• Rose - Tart and perfumy. The hips (the nubs left after the flower has bloomed) have a high Vitamin C content and are often used in cold remedies and teas. Rose is great for syrups, pies and breads.

• Violet/Violas - Softly fragrant. Great for chilled soups. Often candied nasturtiumand used to garnish cakes, pastries and on poached fruit.

So, add some color and zest to your next meal by adding some of these lovely yummies!

I'm still trying to figure out if the different colored nasturtiums really taste different, or is it my imagination?

Reprinted from article written for www.myfamilycompass.com - July 23rd, 2009