Begonia

Begonia x tuberhybrida · Edible flower

40 pairings

The tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida) is a showy garden flower whose waxy, succulent petals are edible — crisp and vividly citrus-tart, tasting almost like a sharp green apple or lemony sorrel. The petals brighten salads, drinks and plated desserts, but they are high in oxalic acid and so are used sparingly as a garnish rather than eaten by the handful.

Picking a good onedrag

Just opened, waxy and firmBrowning, translucent, shedding

Punnet freshPull petals from the base, rinse, scatter. The tartness is mostly oxalic acid, as in sorrel — an accent, not a salad green, and less if you are gout- or stone-prone. Petals only, never the tuber.Everyday best

Where it came fromLabelled edible and unsprayed by someone who can tell you how they were grown

PetalsColour full, a rim or two paler where the petals lay against each other

Base of the bloomStub drying pale, petals loosening a little but all still attached

Smell at the punnetAlmost nothing at all — a begonia is barely scented, and that is normal

What to look for, from just opened, waxy and firm to browning, translucent, shedding.

Preparing