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  • From: <permed@nor.com.au>
  • To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] EDIBLE FLOWERS
  • Date: Fri, 26 Apr 02 15:19:43 -0000

This is the text of an article I wrote about edible flowers for
Permaculture International Journal some years ago - you might find some
quotes in this
Robyn Francis


Flowers for Edible Landscapes
Robyn Francis

Flowers play an important role in an edible landscape and in any food
producing permaculture. The benefits of integrating flowering plants into
a vegetable garden are numerous: they attract bees and other insects
including important pest predators, many varieties of fragrant flowers
help confuse and repel some harmful insect pests, and there are a lot of
flowers that can be harvested for pot-pourri, herb teas, cut flowers and
also for food.

Many fruit trees and vegetables have beautiful flowers with aesthetic
value as well as other uses. Some of my favourite flowering fruits
include pomegranate, quince, and all the stone fruits, and there's
nothing more delightful than the fragrance of a citrus tree in flower.
Salsify, chicory, globe artichoke and Jerusalem artichoke rank amongst
the most attractive flowering vegetables.

Some of the plants grown in many gardens solely for their flowers are
medicinal and culinary herbs and some of them produce edible fruit as
well - like the fuchsia which produces an edible berry. Roses have always
been a great favourite in ornamental landscapes. The old traditional
varieties are the best for harvesting the hips (fruit) for herb tea and
jellies, but any fragrant rose can be harvested for pot pourri and if you
want a real treat, try making some rose petal jam.

The elderberry bush has been used for centuries as a multi purpose plant
in Europe - it's medicinal qualities are listed in most herb books, the
fruit used for preserves and elder berry wine and the flowers are prized
for pot pourri, wine making and most of all for making elder flower
fritters. The flowers of pumpkin and squash are a delicacy in many
cultures - you can eat the male flowers and leave the females to produce
fruit.

There are a surprising number of regular ornamental flowers that can add
colour and zest as a garnish for salads or sweet dishes: violets,
pansies, petunia, carnations, calendula and gladiolus just to name a few.
I love to garnish a mulberry pie with borage flowers, spice a baked
custard with ginger flowers, toss nasturtium and calendula petals in a
fresh garden salad, or top off a parfait with a couple of violets or
heartsease.

There is a resurgence of interest in edible flowers which is rapidly
becoming good business for back yard production and small scale
horticulture supplying produce to local restaurants and food markets. An
edible flower producer in southern California has tapped into a national
market, with a US$1 million harvest from just 30 acres. Flowers for food
must be free of pesticides so this is one new primary industry using only
biological control. Harvest, storage, packing, transport and handling all
require special care.

Care should be taken with eating flowers and it is important to remember
that not all flowers are safe to eat. Never try eating the flowers of
poisonous plants. If you suffer from hayfever, you're advised to give
flowers a miss or try with caution as you could have an allergic reaction
to the pollen. There have been cases of toxic reaction to some flowers
listed as edible, possibly because local sub-species have developed a
toxic compound due to different soil or climatic conditions. So be
cautious, only try a small amount, one or two petals first time round.
Avoid flowers that taste too bitter or caustic. Also remember that most
edible flowers are primarily used as a garnish - don't go making an
entire salad from your flower garden.
In moderation, flowers can be used not only to brighten up the garden,
but to add an exciting touch to many a dish on the table.


References:
* The Avant Gardener Vol.23, No.9.,
* Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally - Robert
Kourik
Resources (Avant Gardener):
* "Specialty Flowers" Fact Sheet available free from USDA Office for
Small-Scale Agriculture, Aerospace Building, Suite 342, Washington, DC
20250, USA
* "Guide to Cooking with Edible Flowers" - Jay & Pamela North, Paradise
Farms, Box 436, Summerland, CA 93067, USA (US$6.95)


Djanbung Gardens Permaculture Education Centre
home to:
Permaculture Education
ERDA Institute Trust
Nimbin Eco-Village Project Office
Robyn Francis - permaculture designer & educator
PO Box 379, Nimbin NSW 2480 Australia
Ph 02-6689 1755 Fax 02-6689 1225
permed@nor.com.au www.earthwise.org.au





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