25 Edible Flowers to Grow, Cook, and Garnish With

Not all flowers are just for looking at—some belong in your kitchen.

Edible flowers add color, aroma, and flavor to dishes, drinks, and even your pantry staples. Whether you’re garnishing a salad, freezing blooms into ice cubes, or infusing honey with floral notes, these petals do more than look pretty—they carry tradition, nutrients, and plenty of garden-to-table possibility.

This guide will walk you through 25 edible flowers worth knowing: their taste, how to use them, and growing tips. Use this post as a reference while you plant, preserve, or get curious in the kitchen. (And yes—there’s a printable version coming soon.)

white plate with edible flowers, purple wild violets, glass of water and bowl of sugar for violet syrup recipe

1. Borage (Borago officinalis)

These star-shaped flowers come in pink, violet, and blue and taste slightly like cucumbers. Use them in summer drinks, steeped in tea, or frozen into ice cubes. Borage is low-maintenance and thrives in sun or partial shade. You can also dry both the leaves and flowers for year-round herbal use.

2. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

With petals in sunny yellow and orange, calendula has a lightly peppery flavor that makes it a favorite in savory dishes—especially as a saffron substitute. The petals can also be used to color broths and oils. Safe for dogs, but not recommended for cats.

3. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)

Known for its calming tea, chamomile flowers have a mild apple flavor. These daisy-like blooms dry well and pair beautifully with honey or lemon in infusions.

4. Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

Chive blossoms are a visual and flavor boost to everything from baked potatoes to compound butters. With a mild onion taste, they’re best used raw. Flowers are usually purple and mildly toxic to pets.

5. Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium)

With a flavor as strong as their scent—pungent and peppery—mums are best used sparingly in stir-fries, rice dishes, or as edible confetti. Remove the bitter parts before eating. Toxic to pets, especially cats and dogs.

6. Daisies (Bellis perennis)

English daisies offer mild, grassy notes and have been used in folk remedies for sleep and anxiety. Add petals to salads or steep in tea. The leaves can be used like spinach in light sautés.

7. Daylilies (Hemerocallis)

Daylily buds and blooms are edible and slightly sweet. Harvest when buds are plump but not yet opened. Try them stuffed, sautéed, or added to spring rolls.

8. Elderflower (Sambucus nigra)

Floral, fragrant, and iconic in syrups and cordials, elderflower works well in drinks, jellies, or fritters. Make sure you’re using the correct variety—leaves and stems are toxic unless properly prepared.

9. Fennel Flowers (Foeniculum vulgare)

These bright yellow blossoms taste like mild licorice and work well in salads, desserts, and compound butters. Pair with citrus or use to top roasted vegetables.

10. Geraniums (Pelargonium)

Geraniums can taste like citrus, nutmeg, or even peppermint, depending on the variety. Add petals to ice cream, freeze incubes, or use to flavor sugar. These grow best in well-drained soil with plenty of light.

11. Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

Often dried for tea, hibiscus has a tart, cranberry-like taste and is rich in vitamin C. Use for syrups, jams, and drinks.Avoid if you have pets—it’s highly toxic to cats and dogs.

12. Johnny-Jump-Ups (Viola tricolor)

These miniature pansies are as tasty as they are cute. Mild and slightly sweet, they’re great for garnishes, pressed into cookies, or floated in drinks.

13. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

person adding dried lavender flowers to a mason jar

English lavender is the most culinary-friendly variety, offering a lightly citrusy, herbaceous note. Use in shortbread, teas, vinegars, or infused honey. Best removed from the stalk before use.

14. Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris)

Strongly floral and lightly bitter, lilacs are best used sparingly in baked goods or syrups. Flavor varies by variety.

15. Marigold / Tagetes (Tagetes tenuifolia)

Also called “Mexican tarragon,” these flowers have a citrusy, anise-like taste. Use petals to brighten rice dishes, salads, or herbed butters.

16. Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus)

These spicy, watercress-like flowers come in vivid colors and are edible from leaf to seed. Excellent in sandwiches, pestos, or as an eye-catching garnish. Toxic to pets.

17. Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana)

Pansies have a mild, grape-like flavor and are perfect for topping cakes, decorating salads, or infusing into sugar. They grow well in partial shade but require regular watering.

18. Pea Blossoms (Pisum sativum)

Delicate and sweet, these can be used just like snap peas—fresh, raw, or tossed into salads. Only eat blooms from edible pea varieties.

19. Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans)

True to its name, pineapple sage flowers offer a fruity aroma and work beautifully in teas, syrups or paired with citrus in desserts.

20. Pinks / Dianthus (Dianthus caryophyllus)

These clove-scented blooms add depth to teas and baked goods. Use petals in cider, on cookie platters, or in fruit salads. Note: mildly toxic to pets.

21. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

Mildly sweet with a slight bean-like note, red clover is often used in herbal teas. The blossoms are also said to have gentle detoxifying properties.

22. Rose (Rosa spp.)

small wooden tray with small rose buds and star anise on them.

Rose petals are edible and often used in jams, syrups, teas, and desserts. Their flavor ranges from fruity to spicy. Bestharvested early in the morning when oils are strongest.

23. Squash Blossoms (Cucurbita pepo)