Grow flowers for flavor as well as beauty

Published 2:00 pm Saturday, June 3, 2006

Once upon a time, long ago and far away, I went to the movies with my childhood friend, Eleanor Schubert, to see “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies.” Starring Doris Day, David Niven, and a big sheepdog, it was one of those wholesome, early-sixties romantic comedies. I honestly don’t remember anything about it except that I felt very grown up going to the movies with a girlfriend instead of my parents.

The only reason that old film title comes to mind is because in this column we’re discussing edible flowers -– and the daisy isn’t one of them, except for the petite English daisy, Bellis perennis. So please, don’t eat the daisies! But do eat the nasturtiums, roses, violets, pansies, and a veritable bouquet of other tasty blossoms.

People have always eaten flowers. The culinary use of flowers is part of practically every culture, including ours. If you’ve had broccoli, cauliflower, capers or artichokes you’ve eaten flowers. If you’ve dined at authentic Asian restaurants, you may not have been aware of the daylily or chrysanthemum petals in that delicious dish. Many herbal teas and liqueurs are made with flowers. Consuming flowers is not so odd, after all.

Some would take exception to that statement. I once invited a special gentleman friend over for a home-cooked dinner. I can’t recall the main course, but I’ll never forget the salad. It was crisp romaine, homegrown tomatoes and herbs, chopped scallions and thin-sliced avocado, tossed with vinaigrette and garnished with colorful nasturtium blossoms. The poor man carefully navigated his way through that minefield of a salad, avoiding the flowers as though they were little live animals. Not only was he unaware that they were edible, but later in our friendship, confided that he wouldn’t have eaten them even if he’d known. It seemed sacrilegious to him to bite into a flower. Leaves, yes, petals, no.

If you grow flowers for their beauty alone, you may be missing out on the culinary adventure, romance and originality they offer. There are hundreds of edible flowers, but space dictates that we speak in generalities in this column.

Let’s begin with a few common-sense tips. First, not everything that blooms is edible. Be sure you positively know what it is and whether it’s edible before you put it in your mouth! Practice moderation, even with recognized edible flowers. Too much of a good thing can upset your digestion. If you have hay fever, asthma or bad allergies, play it safe and don’t nibble flowers.

Don’t eat flowers purchased from florists, garden centers or nurseries (except for the rare organic nursery). Most commercially raised flowers have been treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Some farmers’ market vendors offer flowers grown organically specifically for consumption and they should be fine. Don’t pick roadside flowers. They may have been sprayed with herbicide, car exhaust, or other pollutants.

Growing your own is the safest bet. Use only organic fertilizers, and if you must treat for insects, use only insecticidal soap or pyrethrum-based products. Any plant that you intend to eat should be grown well away from danger of overspray, systemic chemicals and lawn products such as weed and feed.

Pick flowers early in the morning of the day you plan to use them. They don’t keep well for more than a day or two. Don’t pick flowers that aren’t yet opened or are obviously past their prime. Remove the stamen and pistils from the center of the blossom and the sepals from all flowers except pansies, violas and johnny jump-ups. In all but the tiniest of flowers, only the petals taste good. Remove the bitter white portion at the base of the petals of roses, tulips, mums, dianthus, and marigolds. Wash flowers gently but thoroughly in cool water; place them in a plastic bag and store in the produce bin of the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them. Long-stemmed blooms such as daylilies can be kept in a vase of water in a cool place until you’re ready to use them.

You may already have some tasty flowers in your garden; the blossoms of most culinary herbs are as flavorful as the leaves. Remember sipping honeysuckle nectar when you were a child? You can still do that. Grow the climbing variety of nasturtium on the fence surrounding your veggie bed. When you harvest salad greens, add a few of their peppery leaves and hot-colored flowers. Other easy-to-grow edible flowers are calendula (pot marigold), violet and daylily. Add to that lavender, tulip and pansy. Go ahead; munch a monarda, dine on dianthus, but please, don’t eat the daisies!

Mariana Graham is an Island County-WSU Master Gardener. Contact her at artsnflowers@hotmail.com.