It is a wonderful addition to our knowledge about food to find that there are many flowers that are suitable as fresh decoration or garnishing, or for use in raw food, savouries and salads, cooked dishes, desserts or even in drinks.
Our kitchens are more attractive for flowers becoming a regular item in our diets and provide eager restaurateurs of a unique opportunity to present unusual touches to their cuisine.
However, apart from a caution about thinking to use a flower in food because of its attractive colour, perfume or shape, we must know its properties and which of them are positively poisonous.
The list of plants and flowers that fall into this category is growing as more scientific analyses confirms the danger, even though many of them may be also used in traditional, or in modern chemical medicine, as remedies for specific ailments.
Here are some well known common flowers in western gardens that are known as toxic and must be avoided at all times.
They have variable degrees of risk from mild to potentially fatal.
Adonis (Pheasant's eye) - Adonis annua, A.
vernalis African Marigold - Tagetes erecta, T, minuata Allamanda - Allamanda cathartica, A.
neriifolia Anemone - Anemone nemorosa, A.
narcissiflora, A.
vernalis Autumn crocus - Colchicum autumnale Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade) - Atropa belladonna Boxwood (Box) - Buxus microphylla, B.
sempervirens Broom ( Spanish Broom) - Spartium junceum syn Genista juncea, Cytisus scoparius Carolina Jasmine (Yellow Jessamine, Yellow Jasmine) Gelsemium sempervirens Cestrum ( Night-scented Jasmine)- Cestrum nocturnum , C.
parqui, C.
aurantiacum Chincherinchee (Star of Bethlehem) - Ornithogalum thyrsoides Christmas Rose - Helleborus niger Clematis - Clematis recta, C.
glycinoides, C vitalba Coriaria (Tutu, Death Coriaria) - Coriaria arborea, C.
myrtifolia Cotoneaster - C.
acuminata, C.
lactea Daffodil - Narcissus pseudo-narcissus Datura - Datura candida, syn Brugmansia candida Delphinium - Delphinium belladonna Foxglove - Digitalus lanata, D.
purpurea Frangipani - Plumeria acuminata, P.
alba Hellebores - Helleborus foetidus, H.
niger, H.
orientalis Hyacinth - Hyacinthus orientalis, H.
romanus Iris - Iris versicolor and other species Jonquil - Narcissus jonquilla, N.
poeticus , N.
odorus Lantana - Lantana camara Lesser Periwinkle (Flower of Death) - Vinca minor Lily of the Valley - Convallaria majalis Lobelia (Cardinal Flower) - Lobelia cardinalis, L.
inflata Mountain Laurel (Calico Bush, Suicide Bush) - Kalmia latifolia, K.
angustifolia Oleander - Nerium oleander Periwinkle - Vinca roseus syn Catharanthus roseus Poinsettia - Euphorbia pulcherrima, E.
tirucalli Ranunculus (Garden Ranunculus) - Ranunculus asiaticus Sweet Pea - Lathyrus latifolius, L, odoratus White Hellebore - Veratrum album Wintersweet (Bushman's Poison) - Akokanthera oblongifolia, A spectabilis Yellow Jasmine( Carolina Jasmine) Gelsemium sempervirens Yellow Oleander - Thevetia neriifolia, T.
peruviana Yesterday-Today and Tomorrow (Night and Day Flower) Brunfelsia brasiliensis ALL FLOWERS SHOULD BE FIRST IDENTIFIED BEFORE USED IN FOOD.
Do not eat flowers that are not guaranteed to be free of pesticides and chemicals.