Identifying Edible Flowers
Anyone who has taken an outdoor adventure knows that things don't always go as planned. Unfortunately, things do happen, and in emergency situations, you may find yourself away from your camp or without food, and in the woods with no sign of help coming. If you find yourself in that situation, there are things that you should know that will help to increase your chances of survival. While having a knife on you is helpful for finding food, as well as knowing how to start a fire, if this is not possible, the next best thing is identifying edible flowers and berries to help you survive.
There are many uses for edible flowers, but they go much further than just looking pretty on a cake or in a tropical drink. Identifying edible flowers may determine life or death in some situations, so it's important to know which ones are safe to eat, and which ones could cause serious consequences if eaten.
We've pulled together a list of edible flowers, that way you know which ones you can safely ingest.
- Pansy
- Viola
- Nasturtium
- Pineapple weed
- Pea flowers
- Strawberry blossoms
- Stock flowers
- Chive blossoms
- Mexican mint marigold
- Borage
- Garlic mustard
- Mini dianthus
- Chamomile
- Cilantro
- Kale flowers
- Fringed dianthus
- Arugula
You may recognize some of these names from different teas or even spices that are used in cooking today. Unfortunately, just because a flower is edible, does not mean that all of it is edible. If you often go out hiking, it is advisable that you have a book with you to help you identify the flowers, as well as identify which parts are edible. Even on edible flowers, there are some inedible parts that could cause illness or even death if they are ingested. The same goes for eating them raw. Not all of the edible flowers can just be picked and eaten, some need to be boiled down, so it is important to either have all of this information committed to memory, which can be very difficult, or to have a book that helps you to identify and then inform on how to properly eat the flower.