Makenzie Lee is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in CSU’s Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department and interned with CSU Extension researching edible flower production and conducting community outreach.
Want your annual flowers to pull double duty? Try eating them! Edible flowers are a fun, underused food crop that’s growing in popularity – for good reason.
By planting edible annuals, home gardeners can enjoy gorgeous flowers year-round and harvest them to eat, all while supporting plant health and encouraging re-blooming.
There are also many health benefits to eating edible flowers. They contain lots of different vitamins, can be high in fiber, and have antioxidants and polyphenols, which can help protect against certain diseases while also aiding gut health.
There are many ways to use them, from adding your favorite flowers to dishes as garnishes, using them in drinks, or even giving recipes a boost with new and unique flavors!
I hope that this guide will provide you with information and confidence to add edible flowers to your garden and diet!
Health and food safety notes
- Edible flowers should be introduced slowly into your diet
- Make sure only to consume flowers that you know are edible and weren’t sprayed with non-organic pesticides or exposed to other harmful chemicals.
Borage
Flavor Notes: Cucumber
Uses: Garnishes, teas, salads, savory dishes
Light Preferences: Partial shade to full sun
Flowering Period: June through July
Plant Spacing: 12-18” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 6 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 4 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the stem where it begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Serve as a whole flower without stem or separate petals depending on the recipe
Buzz Buttons
Flavor Notes: Citrus, spicy and produces a temporary tingling and numbing sensation
Uses: Beverages, desserts, frozen treats
Light Preferences: Part shade to full sun
Flowering Period: June through October
Plant Spacing: 18-24” apart (this is a spreading plant)
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 6 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 2 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the floral structure has fully expanded
– Cut flower off the stem where it begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Rinse the flower and remove all stem material
– Serve fresh or dried depending on the recipe
Calendula
Flavor Notes: Tangy, peppery
Uses: Teas, salads, baked goods, savory dishes
Light Preferences: Full sun
Flowering Period: June through August
Plant Spacing: 12-18” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 4 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 2 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the plant stem where it begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove petals, rinse thoroughly, and use – either fresh or dried
Coneflower
Flavor Notes: Earthy, floral
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas, baked goods
Light Preferences: Part shade to full sun
Flowering Period: July through September
Plant Spacing: 18-24” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 8 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: Late fall for spring blooms
How to Harvest
– Harvest florets when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the plant stem where it begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove the petals from the cone, rinse, and serve – either fresh or dried
Cornflower
Flavor Notes: Floral, cucumber, hint of clove
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas, baked goods
Light Preferences: Part shade to full sun
Flowering Period: June through September
Plant Spacing: 8-12” apart
Seeding Times
Indoors: 4 weeks before last frost
Direct sow: 2 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest florets when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the plant stem where it begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove petals, rinse thoroughly, and use – either fresh or dried
Dahlias
Flavor Notes: Water chestnut, floral, sometimes spicy
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas, baked goods
Light Preferences: Full sun
Flowering Period: June through October
Plant Spacing: 18-24” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 8 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 6 weeks before last frost
Tubers
– Plant after frosts have passed
– If in USDA growing zones 3-7, remove tubers in the fall to save for the following year
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open.
– Cut flower off the stem where it begins to branch
Dianthus
Flavor Notes: Sweet clove
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas, baked goods, frozen treats
Light Preferences: Partial shade to full sun
Flowering Period: June through August
Plant Spacing: 12-18” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 8 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 12 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the stem where the stem begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove petals, rinse thoroughly, and use either fresh or dried
Marigold
Flavor Notes: Citrus, peppery, slightly bitter
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas, baked goods
Light Preferences: Full sun
Flowering Period: May through October
Plant Spacing: 18-24” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 4 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 2 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the plant stem where it begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove petals, rinse thoroughly, and use – either fresh or dried
Nasturtium
Flavor Notes: Watercress, peppery, floral
Uses: Garnishes, salads, savory dishes, sauces
Light Preferences: Full sun
Flowering Period: July through August
Plant Spacing: 8-12” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 4 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 2 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the plant stem where it begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove petals, rinse thoroughly, and use fresh (they do not dry well)
Snapdragons
Flavor Notes: Leafy, sweet, slightly bitter
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas
Light Preferences: Part shade to full sun
Flowering Period: June through October
Plant Spacing: 6-12” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 8 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 6 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open.
– Pinch inflorescence off where stem begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove individual flowers off the inflorescence and pull off petals
– Remove petals, rinse thoroughly, and use either fresh or dried
Violas
Flavor Notes: Floral, leafy, sweet
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas, baked goods, frozen treats
Light Preferences: Partial sun
Flowering Period: April through October
Plant Spacing: 18-24” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 6-8 weeks in early spring
– Direct sow: Late July for spring blooms
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open
– Cut flower off the stem where the stem begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Rinse and serve as a whole flower without stem or separate petals depending on the recipe
Zinnias
Flavor Notes: Floral and bitter
Uses: Garnishes, salads, teas
Light Preferences: Full sun
Flowering Period: June through October
Plant Spacing: 12-18” apart
Seeding Times
– Indoors: 4 weeks before last frost
– Direct sow: 2 weeks before last frost
How to Harvest
– Harvest flowers when the bloom is fully open
– Pinch inflorescence off where stem begins to branch
– Collect flowers in the morning to avoid water loss
– Remove individual flowers from the inflorescence and pull off petals
– Remove “petals”, rinse thoroughly, and use – either fresh or dried
Related Extension Resources
Edible Flowers
Detailed information about using edible flowers, including a list of 60+ recommended plants with edible flowers that can be grown in Colorado – as well as common house and garden plants to avoid.
Growing Annual Plants from Seed
Instructions for growing annuals from seed in Colorado, including garden prep, cold frame use, and tips for starting seeds indoors.