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Posted: Apr/21/2007 11:01 AM PST
Any recommendations for flowers suited to the PacNW that are both edible and make great cut flowers? Extra credit if they also have medicinal value. I have a fascination with making my garden both aethetic & edible. I already have several flowering herbs such as lavender, chamomile & hyssop; although they don't always make for good cut flowers. Dianthus & Calendula are two that I plan on adding. Any others that you just love? |
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Posted: Apr/21/2007 11:36 AM PST
As for edible, pansies, johnies-jump-ups and dandelions, I know. As for being good cut flowers, well ???? As for medicinal, dandelions can be made into wine. 
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Posted: Apr/25/2007 12:16 PM PST
Yeah, and the roots can be made into tea. The leaves can go into salads, tasting best before blooming. |
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Posted: Apr/25/2007 12:52 PM PST
We are the only country in the world that doesn't eat daylillies. We are silly and just leave them for the deer. 
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Posted: Apr/27/2007 11:49 PM PST
Nasturtiums are edible, both the flowers and leaves, squash blossoms are mostly eaten fried, honeysuckle and jasmine too are edible. I guess there;s not really any in my list that are good cut flowers. Yarrow would be one, and it is not only edible but medicinal too. Mostly you can make tea with the flowers, same for chamomile flowers. |
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Posted: Apr/28/2007 7:59 AM PST
Here are some edible flowers that I grow; Tulips (great sweet pea flavor) Nasturtiams (kind of peppery flavor) Pansies and Violas (great for adding some color to a salad. Mild Flavor) Echnicea sometimes called cone flowers (leaves can be used as something like a spinach substitute in lasagna) Saffron - fall crocus (very expensive spice used in asian cooking made from a red part inside the flower) Sunflowers Marigolds Scented Geraniums Roses (rugosa are best) Daylillies Some varieties are more "edible" then others. For example some roses have a nasty metalic flavor to them, so it is best to try their taste or get info on how they taste before buying them specifically for using them as an edible plant. Johnny's Seed Catalog marks which of their flowers are edible with a spoon and fork icon next to them. So, last year I planted and experimented with a wider variety of edible flowers, like Amaranthus. My personal favorite is the flowering of my fruit trees in the spring. A general rule of thumb is that if the leaves and/or fruit is edible, then the flower is edible too. |
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Posted: Apr/28/2007 8:44 AM PST
I tried a daylilies bud once. I've heard they're good deepfried, but I don't remember being real impressed with the taste. One of the prettiest desserts I've made was individual cups of chocolate or pistachio pudding garnished with a viola flower and a mint leaf on each side of the flower. I just read that red bee balm leaves and flowers are good for tea. |
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Posted: May/04/2007 8:38 AM PST
Any Monarda sp. is a good tea and substitute for oregano in cooking. The tea works on calming nerves. The Monarda fistulosa is stonger flavored than M. didyma. A few more... French and African Marigolds Gardenia Phlox Hibiscus Snapdragon Hyssopus officinalis Bellis perennis (Daisy) Tulip Glads Vera |
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Posted: May/21/2007 9:09 PM PST
My Chives grow tons of purple flowers. I've never eaten the flower, but I understand its okay. |
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