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Imagine a summer meadow with a blanket of cheerful yellow daisy-like flowers and the gentle scent of cocoa wafting through the morning air. You might think you've walked straight into a chocoholic's dreamscape, except, in this case, dreams can come true. That's right, we're talking chocolate flowers. Daisy-like yellow flowers that smell, and taste, like chocolate.
What is a Chocolate Daisy?
The 'chocolate daisy', 'chocolate flower' and 'green eyes' are all common names for the Berlandiera lyrata, a hardy North American species of flowering yellow plant that hails from the sunflower family and produces a sweet chocolate-like scent in the morning after blooming through the night. As the temperature rises during the day the petals close and the fragrance recedes.
Are Chocolate Daisies Edible?
Yes, the flower heads are edible, including the stamens, which can be thrown into salads, and have a bitter chocolate flavour.
The plant is also been documented as being used by indigenous American communities for medicinal reasons.
Growing Chocolate Daisies
The chocolate daisy grows in the wilds of North America and Mexico, but is just as happy growing in window boxes and lining pathways. It's not only humans who appreciate their chocolate aroma, they also attract pollinators and butterflies during their long flowering season.
So, it's time to wake up and smell the chocolate daisies.
