Picture this: a cheerful dinner table set for two. A salad bedecked in colourful borage and nasturtium blossoms. And a skeptical spouse who scoffs at the pointless frippery of putting flowers in food. But is it really pointless?

Are Flowers Vegetables?

Botanically speaking, flowers are a feature that draw pollinators in to an access point where they can fertilize the plant’s ovary. The petals themselves are actually a kind of modified leaf. And flowers are indeed classed as a vegetable. Except for fruits and seeds, any part of a plant which is eaten by humans is considered a vegetable. This includes stems, leaves, roots, bulbs, tubers, and flowers. The most familiar edible flower is broccoli, which is bred to produce huge flowers and harvested just before they bloom. Similarly, cauliflower is a part of the plant called the “curd” that will develop into flowers if the head is not harvested. With other flowers, like roses, only the petals are eaten, but they too are considered vegetables.

Nutritional value of flowers compared to traditional vegetables

But is eating a flower petal really akin to eating, say, a spinach leaf? Do these delicate, pretty things really carry the nutritional value we expect from vegetables? Preliminary research says yes. In an article [https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/17/6/6672/htm] published in the journal Molecules, Otakar Rop and colleagues studied the edible flowers of twelve ornamental plants and determined that “edible flowers can be considered an excellent source of minerals in human nutrition.” Their study showed that the flowers’ protein and mineral contents were not very different from those in other parts of the plant, such as its leaves. In other ways, such as antioxidant capacity, many of the flowers performed better than the other vegetable portions of the plant, being comparable to certain fruits. 

The bright colours of many flowers are a good indication of health benefits. The dietary advice to eat a “rainbow” of richly coloured vegetables extends to flowers, and for the same reason. The colours exist because of phytochemicals (literally “plant chemicals”) [https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/fill-up-on-phytochemicals] that are beneficial to human health, including carotenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, lutein, and many more. These chemicals are associated with good health outcomes that range from cancer prevention to eye health to lowering blood pressure. There has been much less research done on phytochemicals in flowers than in other vegetables, but that is beginning to change. A 2016 study [https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b03092] in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by Monica Rosa Loizzo and colleagues concluded that their findings supported “the consumption of edible flowers as functional foods and their use as sources of natural antioxidants by the food industry.” Further studies continue to build on the information established by this one.

Flowers Used as Vegetables Through the Ages

Even without laboratory tests, diverse human cultures have recognized the nutritional value and sheer pleasure of eating flowers for millennia. Records and oral histories trace their use to ancient Rome, to China’s Shen Nung Dynasty nearly 3,000 years BCE, and to the cultures of Turtle Island/North America before contact with Europe. India, China, and the Middle East are also known to have long legacies of cooking with flowers. 

At this point you might be thinking, Alright. So flowers are technically vegetables. But aren’t their uses limited to silly, sweet things like rose water and candied violets? Can you really get a hearty, savoury meal out of them?

Indeed you can. Come along with me for a journey through some not-so-floral edible flowers and the savoury ways people prepare them. These are all flowers I have eaten, though I haven’t tried my hand at every preparation in the list. Now that I’ve researched the recipes, though, I can’t wait to get cooking!

Savoury Dishes to Make with Flowers

Herb blossoms (including basil, oregano, mint, chives, thyme, dill, and sage)

Flowers of your arugula, mustard, rapini, and other cold-weather crops that bolt in the summer heat

Dandelions

When the leaves get too bitter to be an nice salad green, shift your attention to the flowers and buds

• Batter and fry the flowers
• Pickle or ferment the buds for a caper substitute
• Chop the flowers into a quiche

Squash blossoms

Watch the video to learn to identify male blossoms so you can harvest those and leave the female flowers to mature into fruits.

• Crunch them raw for a surprisingly filling garden snack
• Chiffonade them for a salad
• Stuff them with cheese and herbs, batter them, and deep fry them
• Stuff them and bake or steam them for a leaner option
• Dice and use them in a thick soup
• Add to quesadilla filling
• Mince and add to dough for dumplings

Nasturtiums

Violas

Borage

A Few Important Notes about Harvesting Edible Flowers

You will get the most from your edible flowers if you harvest them early in the day, since many blossoms are short-lived and start to fade under the sun. It goes without saying that you should never eat flowers that have had, or may have had, pesticides or herbicides sprayed on them. Flowers growing along the roadside are also exposed to unpleasant residues from car exhaust, so you should avoid those as well. Be sure that you can confidently identify any flower you intend to eat. While I’m constantly amazed at just how many plants humans can safely consume, there are some out there that will certainly harm you. Be mindful, too, that any new food can be an allergen, so start small if you are trying a plant that is completely new to you. 

With those warnings taken care of, go on and find a flower to taste. You may discover a whole new enthusiasm for eating your vegetables.

My thanks to these sources for recipe references:

Sunset, “Corn Soup with Roasted Poblanos and Zucchini Blossoms” MyRecipes.com https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/corn-soup-with-roasted-poblanos-zucchini-blossoms 

Han, Emily. “Fave Ways to Eat Squash Blossoms” Kitchn https://www.thekitchn.com/five-ways-to-eat-squash-blosso-87564

“Edible Flowers for Cooking and Garnishing” teleflora https://www.teleflora.com/floral-facts/list-edible-flowers?promotion=JUNEWELCOME5 

Stradley, Linda, “Edible Flowers are the New Rage in Haute Cuisine” What’s Cooking America https://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm

Adamant, Ashley, “Dandelion Capers” Practical Self Reliance https://practicalselfreliance.com/dandelion-capers/

“Fried Dandelion Blossoms,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac https://www.almanac.com/recipe/fried-dandelion-blossoms

“Midsummer Harvest: Borage Soup” Speed River Journal http://www.vanwaffle.com/2012/07/28/midsummer-harvest-borage-soup/#sthash.4KiaCXV8.dpbs

Disclaimer: I have researched and eaten all of the flowers mentioned in this post. However, your own foraging and gardening are done at your own risk, and only you can be responsible for identifying and responsibly consuming new plants.