10 Edible Wild Flowers

Did you know that you can diversify your tea stash, add colour to your salads and exciting garnishes to your dishes – for free – just by looking in your own backyard?

Neither did I. Until I met Amber Westfall of Amber in the Wild Garden, a local Ottawa herbalist. Okay, to be honest, I *did* know of a few common edible flowers like dandelions and clovers, but since meeting Amber and researching more over the past few years, I have discovered a number of wild edible flowers that grow right here in my own backyard (near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), as well as many new uses and ways to prepare them.

The interesting thing is that most of these flowers are easily recognizable, quite common and rarely seen on dinner plates. Not only that, but they are typically quite nutritious and 100% FREE.

There are many other edible and medicinal flowers that can be planted in gardens (e.g. roses, nasturtium, chamomile), but today’s post is going to focus on WILD edibles that may be found naturally, in nearby forests, fields or even in your own back yard.

Important notes:

• These wild flowers also serve as important resources for pollinators like bees and butterflies – so don’t overdo it! Save some for the pollinators!
• Not all wildflowers are edible. Make sure you’re positive of identification before consumption – check local plant books or an expert if you’re unsure.
• Avoid flowers that grow near roadways, or have been sprayed/treated with herbicides or pesticides. Because yuck.
• Many wildflowers are nutritionally dense, but can also cause stomach upset (yes, even the edible ones) when over-consumed. Use in moderation.

10 Edible Wild Flowers

CLOVER (Trifolium spp.)

Clovers, including both red and white varieties, are part of the pea family and have many nutritional and medicinal benefits. They are high in protein and have a mild sweet taste. Clover blossoms can be eaten raw in salads, cooked in soups and stews, or made into tea (using fresh or dried clover). In fact, clover tea has become one of my faves. Leaves and roots are also edible. Use sparingly to avoid stomach upset.

CHICKWEED (Stellaria media)

This common ‘weed’ is more of a green than a flower, but does have tiny daisy-like white buds that are edible along with the greens. It can be added raw to salads, or cooked as you would with spinach. Chickweed is a good source of vitamin C; however, it does contain saponins, so excess consumption can cause stomach upset.

CREEPING BELL FLOWER (Campanula rapunculoides)

This beautiful but invasive perennial weed spreads quickly through grassy fields, forested areas and through gardens. Luckily, it is at least useful – quite tasty and full of vitamin C! Young leaves and roots are edible – raw or cooked. The delicate purple flowers are sweet and make a pretty addition to salads, cupcake decorations, or even sourdough french toast!

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DAISY (Leucanthemum vulgare)

The bright and cheerful oxeye daisy is a member of the aster family. Flowers (and other parts of the daisy plant) are best enjoyed as a tea, whether dried or fresh. Unopened buds can be fried. Flowers and young leaves can also be added to smoothies.

DANDELION (Taraxacum officinale)

While many people view dandelion as an obnoxious weed, it is actually a useful perennial herb. All parts of the plant are edible – roots, leaves and flowers – though, I don’t recommend eating the end of season fluff 😉 The taste gets stronger and more bitter as the plant matures, so I try to stick to the younger plants. Dandelion is high in iron, calcium, potassium, vitamins A, C, E and B-complex. The bright yellow flower petals can be used to make wines, jellies, teas or simply to decorate a cake or salad. Unopened flower buds can be brewed into tea, fried or added raw to salads.

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ECHINACEA / PURPLE CONEFLOWER (Echinacea purpurea)

These tall, striking perennials are well known for their medicinal properties (used in Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine and by other herbalists), but did you know that the entire plant is also edible? Leaves can be used as a spinach substitute, roots and flowers (fresh or dried) can be used to make herbal teas, and petals make a colourful addition to salads or cakes (try them on a chocolate beet cupcake!). While these powerhouse flowers do grow wild in Ontario, they are often sold in plant nurseries and may have been treated with herbicides, so consider your source before consumption.

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LILAC (Syringa vulgaris)

A true sign of spring, these fragrant shrubs are arguably one of the most pleasant-smelling plants I can think of – plus, lilac flowers are also edible! The flower buds, which can range from white to pink to deep purple, have quite a strong floral taste, so I prefer to use them sparingly as a garnish – in salad, on cake or even sourdough crepes! One of the most exciting teachings from Amber Westfall was the introduction of lilac water – basically a few sprigs of lilac flowers soaked in cold water. It makes for a subtly floral-flavoured water that just looks so pretty! Apparently you can also make lilac wine, jelly and syrups, though I have not attempted any of these.

MILKWEED (Asclepias spp.)

Though milkweed shoots and flower buds are edible, I prefer to just have this knowledge in my back pocket and save this milky perennial for my monarch friends, who certainly need the nutrition more than I do. That said, if I were ever stranded in a milkweed field or lost somewhere with little to eat, I would totally consider consuming some. Unfortunately, the raw plant does contain toxins, so to be edible, milkweed should be cooked — so yeah, I’d have to build a fire first…. Again, leaving these for the caterpillars 😉

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VIOLETS (Viola spp.)

Possibly my favourite of the wild flower edibles in Ontario, violets are beautiful, tasty and rich in vitamins A and C. Leaves and flowers are edible. Delicate blossoms can range from purple to white to yellow or a combination of those. Violets make for an eye-catching addition to salads or as a dessert garnish. They can also be steeped as a tea or made into wine, though I have attempted neither so far.

WOOD SORREL (Oxalis stricta)

I’ve posted before about my love of the sour sorrel weed that spreads through my gardens, across my lawn and in the woods – all types! While French sorrel and sheep’s sorrel don’t bloom into noticeable flowers, wood sorrel does sprout some really cute (and completely edible) little buds – usually bright yellow, but they can also be white or pinkish. The tiny flowers have the same tart taste as the leaves and are wonderful in salads. We’ve even added sorrel to our lunchtime snack plates, homemade popsicles and root’n’fruit roll ups! An excellent source of vitamin C too!

As you can tell from my photos, our family’s preferred way to consume most of these edible flowers is either as a garnish – on cakes, salads, crepes … anything really, or as a tea. Teas can be made using fresh plants/flowers, or dry (though dried plants/flowers can be stored longer for use throughout the year).

Since our yard hasn’t been treated with toxic herbicides and pesticides, we typically don’t rinse our wild flowers (though you certainly can – rinsing will simply make them wilt faster); instead, we can pick and snack as-is.

And that’s it for today! Happy flower foraging 🙂