5 Edible Flowers to Forage This Spring

Spring brings with it an abundance of new life and new, yummy things for the pollinators to spy on and feed on. Flowers are blooming everywhere, on trees, in gardens, and all over our lawns. Many spring flowers, however, do not provide food for just the birds, bees, and butterflies. With a little practice and patience, these blooms can bring color, beauty, and flavor to our plates, too.

Whether you are new to foraging or an old hand, there are a few things to always remember when picking wild edibles of any kind. First of all, NEVER eat anything unless you are 100 percent certain that you have the correct identification. Many plants have lookalikes that may cause harm if consumed. Consult local experts and several field guides to help you gain a certain identification.

Be very aware of your surrounding. Check that you aren’t diving into a patch of poison ivy to get your prize, for example. Also, think about whether the place you are foraging from might have been sprayed with chemicals such as pesticides. This holds for lawns, too. Know the lawn you are picking from.

With these things in mind, grab yourself a basket, keep your eyes peeled and step outside to look for some of these pretty little flowers that can bring joy and flavor to your kitchen.

1. Creeping Charlie

Source: Small Seeds/YouTube

It depends on how much of a lawn perfectionist someone is as to how happy they might be to have creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) running all over! As with its cousin, mint, creeping Charlie, or ground ivy, spreads prolifically on runners and forms a dense ground cover. When you disturb this plant, it sends out a very aromatic scent that has been likened to a blend of mint and sage.

As with many members of the mint family, creeping Charlie can be recognized by its square stem and small purple flowers that tend to grow in clusters of three. The leaves are kidney-shaped and scalloped at the edges.

The leaves and the flowers are edible and can be added to salads to add flavor and color or can be brewed into a tea.

2. Red and White Clover

Lawns and meadows are covered in white (Trifolium repens) and red clover (Trifolium pratense) this time of year and unless these places have been sprayed with chemicals, these plants make a tasty and nutritious edible for teas and salads. Clover is a member of the pea family and is easily recognizable by globe-shaped flowers and leaves of three (or sometimes four if you’re lucky).

Clover flowers are said to be high in antioxidants and rich in vitamin C. The flowers can be added to salads to give texture and color and can also be brewed into tea.

3. Wild Violets

Source: Herbal Jedi/YouTube

Another pretty purple flower that is covering lawns this time of year is wild violets. Violets are very easy to identify by the flower. They have five petals, with one of the petals often having stripes of another color. There are a few lookalikes to the leaves, so if you are new, wait for the plant to flower to be sure.

Violets are versatile and have a pleasant flavor. They look stunning when used to decorate cakes, cookies, or salads and make stunning infused vinegar.

4. Yarrow

Source: WoodlandsTV/YouTube

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) will probably be quite a familiar plant to you. You will see its leaves growing on lawns and the sides of roads or in meadows. Because these spaces are often mowed down, people don’t always get to enjoy the pretty flowers that this plant produces.

Yarrow can be identified by its very feathery leaves and lightly hairy stems. The tiny flowers are usually white and grow together to create a flat top.

Drinking yarrow tea made from the leaves and flowers is said to help with digestive issues and may even help to elevate mood.

5. Purple Dead Nettle

Source: Ediblewildfood.com/YouTube

Another purple flower and another member of the mint family, purple dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) is a prolific plant that can be found all over lawns, garden beds, and at the side of roads and fields. It is easy to spot as it has a square stem and triangular leaves that are fuzzy. The leaves get smaller as they approach the top of the stem and start to tinge purple. The purple/pink flowers look very similar to the flowers of most mint family plants, including creeping Charlie, as listed above.

Purple dead nettle is incredibly nutritious and is rich in vitamin C, A, and K as well as iron and fiber. It can be used in teas, salads, soups, and for making pesto. The fuzziness of the plant can make it hard to eat on its own, but it is delicious when tossed into a mixed salad.

Related Content:

• Foraged Food Recipes for Spring
• 10 Edible Flower Recipes
• How to Forage and Use Rosehips
• 10 Edible Flowers to Beautify Your Plate
• Growing an Edible Flower Garden: Which Blooms to Include
• Spring Salad: Edible Flowers and Dandelion Greens

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