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Edible Flower Guide

Edible Flower Guide

A handy guide to three dozen blooms to help you sort out the best ones to adorn drinks, desserts, salads, savory dishes or tabletops.


Nothing dresses up a moment quite like fresh flowers—and ours are also edible!


Flowers bring intense colors and beautiful shapes to food presentation, but it’s very important that the flowers used are sold as edible. Not only are many flower varieties not safe to eat, but usually the flowers you see in stores weren’t grown to be eaten, they were grown to be looked at. This means they have likely been sprayed or grown with chemicals that may be safe to touch or smell but could leech into surrounding food and should never be consumed. These edible flowers have been selected for their color and appearance but grown to be safe for human consumption.



Arugula Blossoms

Size½” by 1″

FlavorLike arugula

FloatsOn Side

Shelf LifeUp to 4 Days

Best forSavory

Apple Blossoms

Size½” wide

FlavorSour/sweet, like green apple

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSavory, Sweet, Drinks, Decoration

Basil Blossoms

SizeVaries

FlavorSlightly bitter, with basil aroma

FloatsOn Side

Shelf LifeUp to 6 days

Best forSavory, Decoration

 
Batchelor's Buttons

Size1-1 ¼” blossom + ¼-1″ stem

FlavorSlightly grassy

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDecoration (whole) Savory (petals)

Borage Blossoms

Size1″

FlavorCucumber-esque

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSweet, Savory

Calendulas

Size3″ by 2 ½”

FlavorMinty, floral, grassy

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDecoration (whole), Savory (petals)

 
Camellias

Size1 ½ to 3 ½” wide

FlavorSoapy

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDecoration

Chive Blossoms

Size1″ by ¾” blossom + 5″ stem

FlavorOniony, spicy

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSavory

Chocolate Bellflowers

Size5/8” long, ¼” wide

FlavorMildly chocolate with radish bite

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life5 Days

Best forSweet, Savory

 
Cilantro Flowers

Size ½” wide bunches on 3-6″ stems

FlavorCilantro

FloatsUpright (w/ stems removed)

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forSavory

Dahlias

Size2-4 ½” wide

FlavorBitter, slightly spicy

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forDecoration (whole)
Sweet or Savory (petals)


Dianthus (Micro)

Size ½” – ¾”

FlavorBitter

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forSavory, Sweet, Decoration

 
Dulce Buttons

SizeMicro

FlavorVery sweet, herby

FloatsNo

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDrinks, Sweet, Savory

Elderflowers

Size1/8″ wide in varying bunches

FlavorMild individually, bitter in bunches

FloatsVaries

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forDrinks, Sweet

Fava Flowers

SizeAbout 1″ long

FlavorSnap pea/fava flavor

FloatsOn Side

Shelf LifeUp to 4 Days

Best forDecoration, Savory

 
Fennel Blossoms

Size½-1″ wide bunches + 2-4″ stems

FlavorStrong, sweet fennel

FloatsUpright (w/ stems removed)

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDrinks, Sweet, Savory

Firestix

SizeVaries

FlavorWoody

FloatsNo

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forDecoration

Fuchsias

Size1 ½” wide, 2 ½” long

FlavorBitter, sour, peppery

FloatsOn Side

Shelf LifeUp to 2 Days

Best forDecoration

 
Garlic Flowers

Size¼-½” blossom, 1″ w/ stem

FlavorGarlicy, musky

FloatsOn Side

Shelf LifeUp to 4 Days

Best forSavory

Honeysuckle (Micro)

Size1 ½” long, about ½” wide

FlavorSweet, slightly peppery, bitter finish

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSweet, Savory

Jasmine Flowers

Size1” wide with 1” stem

FlavorIntensely bitter, highly fragrant

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDecoration

 
Karma Orchids

Size3-4″

FlavorMild – slightly bitter

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forDecoration, Drinks, Sweet, Savory

Lavender Blossoms

SizeFlowering stalks

FlavorIntensely floral

FloatsNo

Shelf Life1 week

Best forSweet, Decoration

Marigolds

Size2 ½” wide

FlavorA little bitter, a little spicy

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDecoration (whole), Savory (petals)

 
White Mums (Micro)

Size1″ wide

FlavorIntensely bitter

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forDecoration

Pepper Flowers Purple (Micro)

Size½” wide

FlavorBell-pepper-esque

FloatsVaries

Shelf LifeUp to 2 Days

Best forSavory

Sun Daisies (Micro)

Size1-1 ¼” wide

FlavorBitter, mustard-y, grassy

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDecoration

 
Nasturtium Flowers

SizeMedium

FlavorPeppery

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSweet, Savory

Pansies

Size2″

FlavorWintergreen mint

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSweet, Savory

Pea Flowers

Size1” long

FlavorSweet, faintly bitter, similar to pea shoots

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forSavory

 
Snapdragons

SizeVaries

FlavorHerby, grassy, bitter

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSweet, Decoration

Squash Blossoms

SizeMedium – Large

FlavorVery mild

FloatsNo

Shelf LifeUp to 2 Days

Best forSavory

Star Flowers (Micro)

SizeVaries

FlavorMildly bitter & sweet

FloatsOn Side

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forSavory, Sweet, Decoration

 
Rose Petals

Size1″-1 ½”

FlavorRose – can be soapy

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 days

Best forSweet

Szechuan/Buzz Buttons

SizeSmall

FlavorGrassy w/ tingling sensation

FloatsNo

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDrinks, Sweet

Violas

Size1″

FlavorMinty & grassy

FloatsUpright

Shelf Life4-5 Days

Best forDrinks, Sweet, Savory