Flowers

Edible Spring Flowers

What comes to mind when you think of spring: a transition to warmer and drier temperatures; pink, yellow and red starbursts of colour; salad vegetables, fruits and berries galore? Spring is traditionally a time to celebrate rebirth and growth, so what better way to combine the fruits of spring with the beauty of a bouquet! Below you’ll find several native plants that make for excellent (and tasty!) spring bouquets and floral arrangements.

It’s important to remember that not all plants are edible, so don’t go wandering out into the bush and start picking and eating flowers all willy-nilly!

There are several types of native raspberries you can find including the Mountain Raspberry in Tasmania and the Small-leaf Bramble, which is quite widespread in drier forests, and the Rose-leaved raspberry. Any native raspberry complements a floral bouquet, and they look especially nice when paired with large, soft flowers like lilies and gladiolus.

Finger Limes look like little pickles, and they pack quite acidic punch when eaten! The Finger Lime has white to pink flowers that stay relatively small and bloom throughout the year. Limes can be used in jams, as garnish, in savoury sauces, or steamed with fresh fish. If you’re looking for a funky, unique edible flower arrangement, you’ve got to include a Finger Lime or two.

 Viola flowers range in colour from yellows and purples to pastel and shades of apricot. Not only are these flowers striking when added to a bouquet, they make tasty additions to sorbets, desserts, frosted cakes and salads.

 Red Pineapple Sage has mauve coloured flowers that add pops of colour to any arrangement.  If you have stew, soup, or stuffing that needs a touch of flavour, gently pluck a few flowers and toss them in, or add them as a garnish to the plate.

Borage flowers are also known as starflowers and grow wild in many parts of the country. Not only do the flowers’ mild cucumber taste make excellent additions to salads, the delicate purplish flowers can even be candied, battered and fried! Since the flowers are so small, they make great accent flowers in a bouquet.

No Australian spring would be complete without fresh strawberries! Not only do Australian strawberries produce fruit all year long, they add texture and colour when added to a bouquet. Not to mention Australian strawberries can be whipped into a tasty pudding.

This next gem flowers all year-round and is extremely popular with the kiddies. It’s Blue Tongue; a delicate purplish-pink flower that’s best eaten fresh and— you guessed it— stains lips and tongues a bright blue! While this flower looks great in arrangements and is edible, it’s considered to be more of a novelty edible flower. 

Last but not least comes the Chive blossom, a favourite in both edible spring bouquets and spring dishes. The blossoms of this pretty plant range in shades of light purple and bluish-white, and they can be used to add colour to mashed potatoes or fried tempura-style as a side dish. Both the blossom and the stem of the Chive plant are edible and can be used in many different dishes.

So the next time you want to create a truly one-of-a-kind bouquet, try adding some native edible plants to the mix. We’re sure you won’t be disappointed! Do you have a favourite edible flower? Let us know in the comments below!

Now, if you like the novelty of edible flowers, but prefer your food somewhat separate from your blooms, our next blog post might be more what you’re after! Chocolates and flowers come together to form our new range of delicious, yet stunning flower arrangements, stay tuned!

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