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Thread: Most popular edible flowers.

 
  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Honesty's Avatar


    Most popular edible flowers.


    (These are the most commonly consumed flowers of the eighty edible varieties.)


    Borage blossoms (Borago officinalis) - tiny blue flowers have slight cucumber flavour.

    Calendula flowers
    (Calendula officinalis) - also known as "pot marigolds", multi-coloured blooms with a peppery taste. Sometimes called "poor man's saffron"

    Carnation flowers
    (Dianthus caryophyllus) - red, pink, and white blossoms with clove taste.

    Chamomile flowers (Chamaemilum nobile) - Daisy-like flowers with a slight hint of apple flavor. Especially good for parrots when calming influence is needed.

    Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) - the lavender-pink pom pom flower is actually composed of many small florets. Flowers have a mild onion flavour.

    Daisies (Bellis perennis) - yellow and white flowers with light mint or clover flavour.

    Dandelion flowers - small yellow blossoms have honey flavour when picked young. Older flowers are bitter but parrots do not seem to notice. Also offer the dandelion leaves which are an excellent source of nutrition.

    Day Lilies (Hemerocallis) - many coloured blossoms with sweet taste and crunchy lettuce texture. Flower buds and blossoms can be consumed at all stages of growth. Note: Many lilies (Lillium species) contain alkaloids and are NOT safe for parrots or people.

    Elderberry flowers (Sambucus canadensis) - sweet tasting flowers. For colds and chills, Gypsies mix elderberry flowers, yarrow and peppermint and steep in boiling water for 13 minutes, and drink tea frequently.

    Gladiolus (Gladiolus spp.) - flowers of many colours grow on a spike with flowers above each other, all usually facing the same way. Has lettuce texture and flavour.

    Hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) - tropical blossoms in a variety of colours have slightly acidic taste. One of the favourite flowers of most parrot species.

    Honeysuckle flowers (Japanese Lonicera japonica) - small white to yellow trumpet-shaped blossoms are sweet and delicious. Parrots relish these flowers and the Loridae family of birds especially loves the honeysuckle nectar. Only the Japanese honeysuckle is edible and only the blooms should be used as the berries are extremely poisonous. Offer only the flowers so that no berries on the vines will accidentally be eaten.

    Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) - multi-colour small blooms with mild taste.

    Johnny-Jump-Up flowers (Viola tricolour) - yellow, violet, and lavender flowers with wintergreen flavour. Leaves are also edible and contain vitamin C.

    Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) - lavender blossoms have heavy floral fragrance and lemon flavour.

    Marigold flowers (Tagetes signata pumila) - bright yellow and orange flowers with citrus flavour.

    Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) - purple flowers are edible as well as leaves and seeds which are known for benefits to liver.

    Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) - red, yellow, and orange flowers have a tangy, peppery flavour and are the most popular of all edible flowers. Leaves can be eaten too.

    Pansies (Viola X Wittrockiana) - purple, white, yellow bi-colour blooms have a sweet, tart flavour.

    Passionflowers - (Passifloraceae - passion flower family) - Passiflora caerulea and Passiflora edulis are two of the hundreds of varieties. Some vines produce large greenish white and purple blossoms and then orange or purple edible fruit, depending upon the variety of the plant.

    Roses (Rosa spp) - some of the tastiest rose varieties are Rosa xdamascena, Rosa gallica, and Rosa rugosa, Flower carpet rose, Double Delight, Mirandy, and Tiffany variety. Roses have a slight fruity flavour.

    Sage (Salvia officinalis) - lavender-blue flower spikes grow only on the culinary variety. The variegated species of sage do not flower. Flowers have distinctive sage flavour.

    Other herb flowers - the tiny flowering blooms of the following spices are edible: Anise, Basil, Bee Balm, Coriander (cilantro), Dill, Fennel, Garlic, Oregano, Rosemary, and Thyme.

    Sunflowers (Helianthus) - many varieties but most have yellow leaves around a "black eye" centre. Mature flowers contain the seed that all parrots find so irresistible!

    Tree flowers - parrots can be offered the flowering blooms of the following trees: Apple, Bottlebrush, Citrus (orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, kumquat), Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, and Plum.

    Tulips (Tulipa spp.) - multi-colour flowers with crisp, cucumber taste.

    Vegetable flowers - Butterblossom squash flowers have slight squash taste. Zucchini flowers,
    Podded Pea flowers (ornamental peas are poisonous), Okra, Pumpkin, and Runner Bean flowers are edible.

    Violets (Viola odorata) - deep violet and white colour with sweet wintergreen taste.


    Obviously if they have been treated with pesticides, they are not safe!!


  2. The following 4 users like this post:

    jacksmom (08-11-2013), Lady (08-12-2014), merlinsmom13 (08-11-2013), Turquoise (08-11-2013)

  3. #2
    Senior Member
    Blancaej's Avatar


    Parrots

    Quincy CAG Hatched 03/2000 Gotcha @ 3 months old ~ Savannah GW Macaw Hatched 06/1993 Gotcha 4/2013 ~ Coqui B&G Macaw Hatched 09/2003 Gotcha 10/2013 ~ Sidney Blue Crown Conure Gotcha Day 06/2015 Hatch Date Guess 06/2010.
    Very nice info! Thanks for sharing!

    "Nothing that matters comes easy, and nothing easy ever really matters." ~ Lyrics From Ordinary Girl By Rick Springfield

  4. The following user likes this post:

    Honesty (08-10-2013)

  5. #3
    Nobility Member
    spiritbird's Avatar


    Parrots

    Lineated Parakeet named Kobe (M) and (F) named Tango Maine Coon Kitty named Christine
    Love the thought of this list. Very informative. I tried 2 flowers, hibiscus and bee balm and met with no success on the birds eating them but they looked very pretty hanging in the cage.

  6. #4
    Senior Member
    Honesty's Avatar


    Quote Originally Posted by spiritbird View Post
    Love the thought of this list. Very informative. I tried 2 flowers, hibiscus and bee balm and met with no success on the birds eating them but they looked very pretty hanging in the cage.
    Codie absolutely loves Hibiscus flowers. I have an enormous bush in my garden. It is just starting to flower. I will take some pics when its in full bloom


  7. The following user likes this post:

    Turquoise (08-11-2013)

  8. #5
    Senior Member
    Blancaej's Avatar


    Parrots

    Quincy CAG Hatched 03/2000 Gotcha @ 3 months old ~ Savannah GW Macaw Hatched 06/1993 Gotcha 4/2013 ~ Coqui B&G Macaw Hatched 09/2003 Gotcha 10/2013 ~ Sidney Blue Crown Conure Gotcha Day 06/2015 Hatch Date Guess 06/2010.
    That would be nice Wendy! Would love to see them in bloom!

    "Nothing that matters comes easy, and nothing easy ever really matters." ~ Lyrics From Ordinary Girl By Rick Springfield

  9. #6
    Senior Member
    Honesty's Avatar


    Quote Originally Posted by Blancaej View Post
    That would be nice Wendy! Would love to see them in bloom!
    It is very late blooming this year! It is normally in full bloom by mid July, but we had such a cold Winter and Spring, it seems to have put all the flowering shrubs behind.


  10. #7
    Senior Member
    Turquoise's Avatar


    Parrots

    2 Male Catalina Macaws, Roscoe & Angel~1 Female Green Wing Macaw, Ruby Jewel~1 Female Solomon Island Eclectus, Leyla Belle~1 Female Pineapple Green Cheek Conure, Peta (R.I.P.)~1 White Capped Pionus, Sierra Sunrise~ 1 Rose Breasted Cockatoo, Dakota Nakira'Too~1 female Pineapple Green Cheek Conure, Serita Lynae, 10 Parakeets
    That is a wonderful idea for folks to choose safe flowers to feed their birds. All of these are also good to feed tortoises and veggie eating lizards as well.

    I'd love to see your Hibiscus in full bloom. I love Hibiscus & so do the grasshoppers we have out here! I have tried to grow them in my yard for the flowers & leaves for the tortoises. The grasshoppers are relentless & strip them to the roots! I gave up on having any flowering plants short of rose bushes.

    It is amazing how many good plants & foods we may have growing right out our door that we never think of as free foods for our pets. I do pick wild greens & weeds for my tortoises for a change in their everyday store bought veggies. I sometimes offer some of the dandelion greens to my birds. They pick at it, but they aren't too keen on making it a part of their steady diet. They are spoiled to Mom buying the high dollar stuff they think is better.
    ~~My Flock~~
    *In Loving Memory Of My Sweet Little Peta Girl~~R.I.P~~Love Mom*
    ~~Gotcha'~04/20/2012~~Flew Over The Rainbow Bridge~02/28/2014~~

  11. #8
    Senior Member
    jacksmom's Avatar


    Wow, Honesty...I asked on another forum if whole, fresh sunflower heads were safe, and the question was mostly ignored, I guess because nobody knew for sure, it is not an easy Google I found - and here it is! Ahh, I am in love with this place already - can't wait to try some more off this list, (the sunflower parts already a huge hit for Jack, Paris not so much) thanks so much for posting!!!

  12. #9
    Senior Member
    Honesty's Avatar


    Quote Originally Posted by Turquoise View Post
    That is a wonderful idea for folks to choose safe flowers to feed their birds. All of these are also good to feed tortoises and veggie eating lizards as well.

    I'd love to see your Hibiscus in full bloom. I love Hibiscus & so do the grasshoppers we have out here! I have tried to grow them in my yard for the flowers & leaves for the tortoises. The grasshoppers are relentless & strip them to the roots! I gave up on having any flowering plants short of rose bushes.

    It is amazing how many good plants & foods we may have growing right out our door that we never think of as free foods for our pets. I do pick wild greens & weeds for my tortoises for a change in their everyday store bought veggies. I sometimes offer some of the dandelion greens to my birds. They pick at it, but they aren't too keen on making it a part of their steady diet. They are spoiled to Mom buying the high dollar stuff they think is better.
    Codie is eyeing up the Hibiscus Bush in anticipation of it blooming


  13. The following user likes this post:

    Turquoise (08-11-2013)

  14. #10
    Senior Member
    Honesty's Avatar


    Quote Originally Posted by jacksmom View Post
    Wow, Honesty...I asked on another forum if whole, fresh sunflower heads were safe, and the question was mostly ignored, I guess because nobody knew for sure, it is not an easy Google I found - and here it is! Ahh, I am in love with this place already - can't wait to try some more off this list, (the sunflower parts already a huge hit for Jack, Paris not so much) thanks so much for posting!!!
    You are very welcome jacksmom
    I am so pleased you are loving it here already


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