Can You Eat Snapdragons?
You’ll find me using snapdragons in the garden, a lot! It’s simply because I live in a mild climate and the little beauties pop up year after year, and I let them. And I’m not the only one using snapdragons in the garden. They come in tons of colors and sizes so whatever your garden scheme, there’s a snappy for you. I must confess that until recently it never occurred to me to wonder about eating snapdragon flowers. Yes, they are gorgeous, but they don’t smell particularly enticing. Anyway, the short answer is that, yes, snapdragons are edible, sort of.
Eating Snapdragon Flowers
If you’ve been to a fairly nice restaurant, chances are good that you came upon a floral garnish, and more than likely didn’t eat it. While using flowers in foods is an age-old practice, most of the flowers used for garnish are suited for just that, garnish, and won’t really add anything to your culinary palate. That’s because, although they may be pretty, a lot of edible flowers have a rather bland flavor, imparting only their beauty and not necessarily any tasty flavor to a dish. Eating snapdragon flowers are a perfect example. Snapdragons make it on the edible flower lists, but they are there solely for their ornamental value. Really, of all the edible flowers, snapdragon probably ranks last on the list. Its edibility isn’t in question; it won’t poison you, but the question is do you even want to eat it? The snapdragon genus, Antirrhinum, is from the Greek, meaning ‘opposite the nose’ or ‘unlike the nose’. Your nasal acuity is closely linked to your taste perception. If you have ever tasted a snapdragon, you don’t need to imagine why this might be its descriptive terminology. They taste bland to downright bitter, depending upon how and where they are grown. So, again, snapdragon’s edibility is not in question, but I rather doubt you want to make a habit out of it. Disclaimer: The contents of this article is for educational and gardening purposes only. Before using or ingesting ANY herb or plant for medicinal purposes or otherwise, please consult a physician or a medical herbalist for advice.
