Believe it not, people have been eating flowers for centuries. The broccoli and cauliflower that we eat are actually clusters of flowers. Artichokes are also flower heads. Even some blossoms that look more like regular flowers-pansies and roses, for instance-have a long edible history.
Flowers can taste sweet, minty, or bitter. They give a special flavor-or even a pretty look-to many foods. But it is very important to know which flowers (or parts of flowers) can be eaten, because lots of plants are poisonous. Even if you know it isn't poisonous, it's better not to eat blooms that you find growing outside because you don't know if they've been treated with chemicals (pesticides) to control insects. Safe, edible flowers can be found in food stores. Or you can grow your own from seeds that come in specially labeled packets that tell you the flowers will be okay to eat.
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