How to Shop For, Cook, and Decorate With Cut Flowers From California
Did you know that California is America’s leading producer of high-quality cut flowers and greens? Our state supplies over 75% of all domestically grown cut flowers in the United States. We just happen to know a thing or two about how to cook and decorate with cut flowers too!
There are more than 225 cut flower and greens farms in the Golden State and here at California Grown, we are proud to represent every single one of them! From poinsettias to edible flowers and succulents, our state is abundant with blooms of all types.
Jump to any section by clicking on the links below.
- Cocktail and mocktail recipes with edible flowers
- How to pair wine with edible flowers.
- Cooking and garnishing meals with edible flowers.
- Cut flower DIY and floral decor.
- How to purchase cut flowers from California.
- Ideas for celebrating the holiday season with edible and cut flowers from California.
- Meet some of California Grown’s cut flower farmers!
Cocktail and mocktail recipes with edible flowers
Edible flowers elevate even the most basic of drinks! Whether you go all out and make a flower-infused simple syrup or you just sprinkle a few blooms on as a garnish, edible flowers are the perfect pick-me-up.
Lavender Bellini Cocktail
This lavender-infused twist on a bellini from Salt & Wind will teach you how to make lavender simple syrup. We consider that a life skill at this point!
Click here for this cocktail with edible flowers recipe!
Blooming Edible Flower Ice Cubes
Meg of This Mess is Ours says that the easiest and prettiest way to dress up drinks for the summer season is by serving them with ice cubes that literally bloom as they melt!
Click here for this edible flower recipe!
Agua de Jamaica
Kate of Hola Jalapeno says that this is one easy Mexican recipe with edible flowers that you will make again and again.
Agua de Jamaica is essentially a sweet tea made with dried hibiscus flowers and served with plenty of ice!
Click here for this edible flower recipe!
Hibiscus Key Lime Margaritas
This recipe from This Mess is Ours makes a big batch of hibiscus tea concentrate, so be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.
You can also mix small amounts with lemonade for a fun mocktail for friends and family that aren’t feeling the cocktail vibe!
Click here for this edible flower inspired cocktail recipe!
Chamomile Steamer
You may want to begin a sleepy time tea ritual for yourself after seeing this cozy milk steamer that is infused with calming chamomile blossoms from This Mess is Ours!
Click here for this cozy edible flower recipe!
Strawberry Hibiscus Paloma
Hola Jalapeno‘s Strawberry Hibiscus Paloma is the essence of summer: Fresh grapefruit juice, floral hibiscus syrup, fragrant strawberries, lime juice, and tequila.
Click here for this edible flower cocktail recipe!
Blackberry and Orange Blossom Soda
Quench your thirst this summer with a refreshing glass of homemade orange blossom blackberry soda from This Mess is Ours.
Click here for this edible flower recipe!
Blueberry Lavender Fizz
It doesn’t matter whether you leave this lavender-infused sipper from This Mess is Ours as a homemade soda or you transform it into a cocktail with the addition of vodka or rum. All that matters is that you try blueberries and lavender together, it’s a perfect pairing!
Click here for this edible flower inspired mocktail recipe!
How to pair wine with edible flowers.
You didn’t think we were going to skip on a fun chance to pair wine with cut flowers did you?! From chilling your wine in style on hot summer days to wine-based cocktails that are heavily scented with edible flowers, we think California flowers and California wines are a match made in heaven!
How to make a floral ice bucket!
It can be difficult to find the perfect container for chilled wine, but it is essential to keeping your wine from getting too hot. Fortunately, we have just the thing! Our floral ice bucket will hold a bottle of wine in style and keep it chilled to perfection too!
Click here for this cut flower tutorial!
Floral Wine Ice with edible flowers.
There is nothing worse on a hot summer day than going in for a cool sip of wine to find that your glass has warmed up to lukewarm status.
We get pretty creative around here when it comes to keeping our wine nice and chilled. Our latest solution for your wine warming woes is not only beautiful, but it’s also easy too. Say hello to our floral ice cubes for wine!
Click here for this edible flower tutorial!
Raspberry Frosé
This refreshing wine slush cocktail from G Free Foodie is made with raspberries, peach, and rosé wine. The addition of fresh edible flowers as a garnish really makes this summer sipper stand out from the rest!
Click here for this wine cocktail recipe with edible flowers!
Strawberry Lemon Smash Cocktail
This summer sipper from This Mess is Ours is the perfect ratio of tart and sweet with freshly squeezed lemon juice and luscious berries all topped off with California sparkling wine to give it that irresistible fizz factor!
The jasmine blossoms garnishing this drink are totally optional, but we highly recommend them because the fragrance of the flowers really brings out the flavors in the cocktail.
Click here for this wine based cocktail recipe!
Apple and Berry Rosé Sangria
This Mess is Ours garnishes her sangria with fresh hibiscus flowers and we 100% approve!
Click here for this edible flower-filled cocktail!
Cooking and garnishing meals with edible flowers.
Incorporating edible flowers into your cooking and baking recipes opens up an entirely new world of flavor, textures, and colors!
Prune Upside Down Cake with Toffee and Sesame
This recipe from Bronwen Wyatt of Bayou Saint Cake has a deeply flavorful prune-toffee-sesame layer on top of a rich and moist brown butter cake.
Use edible flowers and whipped cream to decorate for a decadent dessert!
Click here for this gorgeous edibel flower adorned recipe!
Zucchini Flowers Recipe
Aida of Salt & Wind knows a thing or two about cooking with edible flowers!
Her take on stuffed zucchini blossoms combines mozzarella and anchovies. The flavors are bold and unapologetic – just like we like them!
Click here for this edible flower recipe!
Edible Flower Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
These buttery-crisp shortbreads from G Free Foodie feature pretty green flecks and fabulous crunch courtesy of California-grown pistachios and gorgeous edible blooms.
Click here to bake cookies with edible flowers!
Edible Flower Infused Goat Cheese
This Mess is Ours is strategic when picking the edible flowers for her recipes because they lend their smell and taste to whatever you pair them with.
Chive and purple basil blossoms taste exactly like you would expect them to. Like chives and basil! While yellow cucumber blossoms have a very mellow, almost grassy-like flavor.
Click here for this easy edible flower recipe!
Floral Butter
This edible flower -aced butter is extravagant, beautiful, and delectable – everything you could possibly dream of when cooking with flowers!
Click here for this edible flower recipe!
Red, White & Blue Dunk and Slather Board
This Mess is Ours serves up this edible flower-inspired spread on special occasions! It showcases delicious breakfast treats like homemade ricotta cheese, strawberry rose jam, and blueberry lavender jam.
Click here for these edible flower infused breakfast recipe!
Cut flower DIY and floral decor
Whether you are decorating a table, creating a patio scape, or just clearing negative energies from a room with a DIY smudge stick, flowers play an integral role in our daily lives.
Learn How to Press Flowers
Pressing flowers is an easy way to preserve their beauty so you can enjoy them for a long time to come. Expert floral designer and California Grown Creator, Rochelle Wall, shares how to press flowers at home, the tools you need, and how to store them.
Marigold Smudge Sticks
Making your own smudge sticks are way easier than you might think. In just two easy steps Hola Jalapeno shows you how to create homemade smudge sticks using any flower or herb. Smudge sticks are used to clear negative energy in the home and purify your living space. Simply tie the herbs and flowers together, let dry for 2 weeks, then they’re ready to burn.
Click here for this cut flower tutorial!
DIY Floral and Fruit Day of the Dead Altars
These DIY mini flower altars from This Mess is Ours are perfect for a Dia de los Muertos celebration!
They are fun to make, easy enough for your kids to help, relatively inexpensive and they dry beautifully so you can enjoy them for months to come.
Click here for this cut flower tutorial!
Fresh Flower Centerpiece
What looks like a floral centerpiece that would cost hundreds of dollars from a florist, will only cost you about twenty dollars when you make it yourself with cut flowers!
Click here for this cut flower tutorial!
Mini Floral and Herb Wreaths
Sometimes, there just isn’t room for a vase or a big bouquet on the table. That is when This Mess is Ours turns to these easy-to-make floral and herb wreaths!
Click here for this cut flower DIY!
DIY Floral Arrangement
It’s a well-known fact that fresh flowers brighten moods. Learn how to make your own happiness-inducing floral arrangements with cut flowers from California!
Click here for this cut flower decor tutorial!
How to make a floral crown.
Embrace your inner child with a fashionable floral crown made from your favorite cut flowers from California!
Click here for this wearable cut flower tutorial!
DIY Boutonnières
The fun thing about making your own DIY boutonnieres is that you can really step outside the norma of white/red rose and sprig of baby’s breath. That option is beautiful, too, but when there is an abundance of fresh flowers available in your supermarket or garden, why not try some new combinations?
Click here for this wearable cut flower tutorial!
Door Hanger Floral Bouquets
Deliver a little ray of California sunshine to your loved ones with this DIY Door Hanger Bouquet!
Click here for this cut flower tutorial!
California Cacti Favors
Quaint, colorful, and easy to care for, who wouldn’t love this living party favor?!
Click here for this cacti DIY!
Succulent Wall Planter
Adding a unique and beautiful piece like this succulent wall planter to your outdoor living space brings a bit of whimsy and personality to an otherwise predictable space.
Click here for this tutorial!
How to Make a Succulent Fountain
Ditch the traditional water fountain and opt for a succulent-filled one instead! This is an architectural piece that will bring joy year after year.
Click here for this tutorial!
How to purchase cut flowers from California
Did you know that California is America’s leading producer of high-quality cut flowers and greens? It’s true, we grow over 75% of all the domestic cut flowers in the U.S. here in the golden state.
If you’d like to support local farmers, asking for California-grown blooms and greens is a great place to start! In your local store look for CA GROWN license plates displayed on bouquets or ask the retailer where blooms are from.
Potted plants and trees are also a product of California. So don’t forget to look for labeling there too.
How to spot CA GROWN cut flowers!
Look for CA GROWN license plates displayed on bouquets of cut flowers in grocery stores. Sometimes flowers will be displayed prominently in blue buckets.
If you don’t see either of those, ask the retailer where their blooms are from and request that they stock domestically grown cut flowers if they don’t already.
Do your caterers and florists use CA GROWN flowers?
Domestic in-season blooms are a must at any celebration!
Communicate to your florists, caterers, bakers, event planners, and other vendors about your desire to use domestic flowers for deliveries & events.
See more of Loria Stern’s beautiful edible flower creations here!
Ideas for celebrating the holiday season with edible and cut flowers from California.
If you aren’t thinking of California when you are purchasing edible and cut flowers for your holiday decor and menus you totally should! From exquisite trees to poinsettias the golden State provides for the holidays.
Mexican Mulled Fruit Punch
Hola Jalapeno’s authentic Mexican Ponche recipe is a warm, edible flower-laced cocktail that is perfect for Christmas!
This mulled tropical fruit punch will warm you with flavors of guava, citrus, and hibiscus. To serve ladle the punch into mugs with Brandy or Añejo Tequila.
Click here for this edible flower recipe with hibiscus!
How To Create A Festive DIY Centerpiece
There are lots of ways to build a beautiful floral centerpiece for your table using cur flowers this is This Mess is Ours’ favorite!
Click here for this cut flower tutorial!
Succulent Pumpkin Centerpiece
This succulent planter is made from all-natural materials and is easily transportable. This basically means that this pumpkin planter is the perfect hostess gift to make and gift during the holiday season!
Click here for this festive fall tutorial!
The Ultimate Guide To Poinsettias
Did you know that California is the top producer of poinsettias in the United States?!
Poinsettias are a true holiday classic. They brighten up the most festive of seasons with their vibrant leaves, and they make for a beautiful centerpiece on your holiday table. But do you know how to properly care for your poinsettia?
Consider this your ultimate guide to poinsettias how to care for them and how to use them as holiday decor.
Click here for this article about poinsettia from California!
Meet some of Caifornia Grown’s cut flower farmers!
We think all of the farmers and farmworkers that tend California’s 225 cut flower farms are special. We love connecting with them and getting to know them a bit better. It’s a real perk of the job!
Janet Louie of Green Valley Floral
We asked Janet, what advice would you give to someone who wants to become a farmer?
“From my side of it, I’d say finding new products in our industry is really exciting and it’s my favorite part of the job. Farming itself isn’t for everybody and it definitely takes a lot of time. But if you love the product, then you can really get into it. My personal take on it is that we sell beauty and we make people smile, so I love what I do.”
Lane DeVries of Sun Valley Floral Farms
We asked Lane, what is your favorite part of farming?
“You take a bulb, and it doesn’t look like much, and through planting and growing, it turns into a beautiful flower, and then you get it into the marketplace and that flower turns into a smile. Flowers put a smile on everyone’s face, and that is what is most gratifying about what we do. And seeing happy, healthy crops put a smile on my face!“
Amanda Kitaura of Bloom
We asked Amanda, how do you give back to the community?
“We love fundraising for the community. We will donate a portion of the proceeds from each bouquet to those in need. We recently gave a portion of the proceeds ($15 per bouquet sold) from our bouquets for the fire relief effort in Northern California.”
Randy Baldwin of San Marcos Growers
We asked Randy, what’s the most rewarding part of your job?
“Cool plants and good people. This industry is full of very, very good people.“
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