Did you know as well as being pretty, many flowers are pretty tasty too? People have been growing and eating flowers for centuries. In fact the parts we usually eat of broccoli and cauliflower are actually large flower heads.
Most of the things to watch out for when eating flowers apply to eating any plants, but it's always worth being careful. So before you tuck into a blossoming meal, read these tips:
- Don't harvest any flowers that might have been exposed to animals (particularly dogs and cats)
- Don't eat flowers from the side of the roads - they might have been exposed to carbon monoxide from cars and trucks
- Don't eat any flowers that look like they could have diseases or have been attacked by insects
- Wait at least a week or so before eating any flowers that have been exposed to fertilisers
- Don't eat any flowers which have been sprayed with any kind of weed killer - they may have been exposed to poison
- Don't eat flowers from any areas (like public parks) where you don't know what they might have been exposed to
- If you're not sure whether a flower is edible or not, DON'T eat it
Still keen to try eating flowers? Try growing some of these
- Amaranthus gangeticus
- Viola
- Monarda didyma
- Calendula
- Hyacinth bean vine
- Cornflower
- Nasturtium
- Chive
- Mustard
- Dill
- Lavender
- Borage
- Marigold
