Flowers for the Soul… and the

Tummy… :)

They’re pretty… and nutritious! While flowers are universally appreciated for their ability to brighten up a

garden (and our mood), many colourful blooms also have nutritional

benefits and/or unique flavours that can enhance food and beverages.

Here are 5 edible flowers – look out for a few of them when you visit our

Gardens!

P.S. Before ingesting any edible flower, please make sure the flowers

were organically grown!

Blue Pea / Butterfly Pea

Clitoria ternatea

You may have noticed the influx of curiously blue-hued “hipster” coffees

and teas in recent years. Traditionally used in Malay and Peranakan

cuisines, the beautiful tint is achieved using a dye extracted from the

flowers of the Butterfly Pea. Adding acidic elements like lemon juice turns

the midnight blue into an equally dreamy purple too! Surprisingly hardy,

the Butterfly Pea is a climber that prefers full sun, and can adapt to a

wide range of soil conditions.

Roselle Hibiscus sabdariffa

Do you enjoy Ribena? Try boiling the tender calyces of Roselle in water

and straining the concoction for a striking red drink that tastes similar to

the much-loved blackcurrant beverage – the leftover pulp can even be

made into jams. Otherwise, you can leave the calyces on the stems (but

remove the leaves) to make an eye-catching cut-flower arrangement! The

plant can easily be grown from seeds or stem-cuttings, but do locate it

where there is at least 6 hours of sunshine daily.

Ulam Raja Cosmos caudatus

Literally means “the King’s salad” in Malay, Ulam Raja is known for its

medicinal, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Its young leaves are

commonly eaten raw, while the lovely pink flowers can be added to

dishes and used as food decoration. Unlike many herbs that can be grown

from stem cuttings, the Ulam Raja grows only from seeds.

Torch Ginger Etlingera elatior

Grown as an ornamental, the Torch Ginger produces vibrant and showy

flowers that are great as cut flowers. But it’s their young, unopened

flower buds that steal the show in Asian cuisines, especially in Nyonya

dishes. Favoured for their unique fragrance and taste, many consider it an

essential in perennial favourites like Assam laksa, Rojak, and Kerabu Bee

hoon. The Torch Ginger isn’t container-friendly, so if you don’t have a

backyard, suggest it for your neighbourhood community garden instead!

Mexican Tarragon Tagetes lucida

Give your salad or home cooked dishes an instant dash of nutrition and

IG-worthiness with the small marigold-like flowers of the Mexican

Tarragon! Traditionally, both its flowers and leaves have been used to

make an anise-flavoured medicinal tea in Mexico, while a deep-yellow

dye can also be extracted from the flowers. The plant can take varying

levels of sunshine, but do plant it where it can receive at least 4 hours of

direct sunlight.

This article is contributed by Gardens by the Bay’s Design and Development Team