Caser, M.

Demasi, S.

Gaino, W.

Ruffoni, B.

Scariot, Valentina

English

Institutional Research Information System University of Turin

07 January 2023AperTO - Archivio Istituzionale Open Access dell'Università di TorinoOriginal Citation:Flowers for edible gardens: combinations of species and colours for northwestern ItalyPublished version:DOI:10.17660/ActaHortic.2018.1215.67Terms of use:Open Access(Article begins on next page)Anyone can freely access the full text of works made available as "Open Access". Works made availableunder a Creative Commons license can be used according to the terms and conditions of said license. Useof all other works requires consent of the right holder (author or publisher) if not exempted from copyrightprotection by the applicable law.Availability:This is the author's manuscriptThis version is available http://hdl.handle.net/2318/1681745 since 2018-12-17T13:16:08Ziris-AperTO University of Turin’s Institutional Research Information System and Open Access Institutional Repository      This is the author's final version of the contribution published as:  V. Scariot, W. Gaino, S. Demasi, M. Caser and B. Ruffoni  Flowers for edible gardens: combinations of species and colours for northwestern Italy.  Acta Horticulturae, 2018, 1215: 363-367   The publisher's version is available at:  https://www.actahort.org/books/1215/1215_67.htm  When citing, please refer to the published version.   Link to this full text:  https://www.actahort.org/books/1215/1215_67.htm              This full text was downloaded from iris-Aperto: https://iris.unito.it/  ae-mail: valentina.scariot@unito.it Flowers for edible gardens: combinations of species and colours for northwestern Italy V. Scariot1,a, W. Gaino1, S. Demasi1, M. Caser1, B. Ruffoni2 1Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy 2CREA Research Centre for vegetable and ornamental crops, Sanremo, Italy  Abstract Flowers have been used for centuries to flavour and garnish food in several ancient cultures, both in Europe (Romans and Greeks) and Asia (Chinese and Indians). After a period of abandon, the recent growing interest towards nutraceutical and functional food revives the consumption of edible flowers. Edible flowers represent an important source of biologically active compounds with positive effects on consumer health. Flowers are in fact a source of mineral elements and phytochemicals with remarkable antioxidant activity. The Alcotra Fr-It 2014-2020 ANTEA project aims at developing a transboundary supply chain (France-Italy) of edible flowers. The activities involve also the design and planning of new edible landscapes, i.e. multi-functional spaces with aesthetic value aimed to the production of edible flowers. In this report, we analysed and selected ornamental species with edible flowers suitable for garden design in northwestern Italy.  Keywords: nutraceutical, ornamentals, urban landscape, urban horticulture  INTRODUCTION Flowers have been used in traditional cooking as decoration, relishes and flavour enhancers by several cultures and for several thousand years, from Asia to ancient Greece and Rome, from medieval France to Victorian England (Mlcek and Rop, 2011; Lu et al., 2016). In recent years, edible flowers are increasingly demanded worldwide due to their health benefits (Lu et al., 2016). Flowers have indeed nutritional compounds such as proteins, amino acids and carbohydrates, but above all phytochemicals, i.e. bioactive non-nutrient compounds mainly represented by carotenoids and phenolics, which strongly reduce the risk of major chronic diseases (Sandhya et al., 2014; Liu, 2003).  The ecological importance of urban landscapes can be deeply enhanced through the planning of gardens composed by edible flowers, in which the aesthetic value of ornamental plants is combined with the nutraceutical properties of their flowers. This approach of edible landscape was recently adopted to design a public garden situated in Cherasco (CN, Italy, 44°39'14.0"N 7°51'25.9"E), in the framework of the Alcotra Fr-It 2014-2020 ANTEA project.  In this paper, we report the criteria and the characteristics of the species selected accordingly, which can be adopted in other sites with similar environmental conditions.  MATERIALS AND METHODS Ornamental species were selected according to five main criteria: (I) the flower edibility, which was carefully verified by examining the scientific literature; (II) the adaptability to the site’s environmental conditions (44°39'14.0"N 7°51'25.9"E); (III) the low maintenance requirements, which have led to prefer perennial plants; (IV) flower colour assortment and (V) bloom at different times of the year. For each species selected, the uses as food and the properties were then documented.  RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The species selected to design and plan the public garden of Cherasco and their characteristics are reported and described in Table 1, grouped by flower colour. These species could be effectively combined to design a urban garden, fulfilling the growing interest of merging ornamental and edible plant in the same place.  Table 1. List of the species selected in the project, grouped by flower colour, with related flowering time, beneficial properties and food use. Flower colour Species Flowering time Flower properties Eaten in/as Rose Allium schoenoprasum L. June-August Antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer [1,2] Flavouring of butter, oil, cooked vegetables, salads, cheeses, pasta and rice. Mild onion flavour and taste  Antirrhinum majus L. May-September Antioxidant, antimicrobial l[3,4] Salads  Dianthus caryophyllus L. May-August Antioxidants, antibacterial l[3,5] Flavouring of oil, vinegar, vegetable and fruit salads. Decoration of cakes and bakery products. Clove flavour  Hibiscus syriacus L. June-September Antioxidant [6] Salads, soups and herb teas. Food colouring  Trifolium pratense L. January-December Expectorant, antispasmodic [7] Salads and herb teas Blue-Violet Borago officinalis L. April-August Purifying, emollient, antitussive, diuretic, sudorific, anti-inflammatory [1,8,9,10] Salads, soups, desserts, syrups and drinks. Cucumber taste  Crocus sativus L. September-November Antioxidant, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, sedative, carminative, eupeptic [1,8,9,10] Salads. Stigmas are known as saffron  Cynara cardunculus L. June-August Anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, eupeptic, diuretic, hepatoprotective [1,8,9,11,12] Vegetable rennet is produced from dried flowers  Lamium purpureum L. March-October Antioxidant [1,13] Snacks or decoctions  Lavandula angustifolia Mill. June-September Antispasmodic, antiseptic, sedative, carminative, cicatrizing [1,8,9] Flavouring and decoration of cakes and bakery products. Essential oil to flavour food  Passiflora incarnata L. June-July Antispasmodic, sedative, soothing, anxiolytic [1,8,9,14,15] Herb teas and syrups  Rosmarinus officinalis L. April-August Antibacterial, antispasmodic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, eupeptic [1,8,9,16] Flavouring of butter, oil, salads, soups, broths, roasts. Essential oil to flavour food  Viola odorata L. February-April Antitussive, diuretic, emollient, expectorant [8,9,17] Salads, creams. Flavouring and decoration of herb teas, cakes and bakery products White  Allium ursinum L. May-June Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimycotic, cardio protective [1,18,19] Garlic substitute  Bellis perennis L. January-December Antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, diuretic, expectorant [8,10] Salads and soups      Flower colour Species Flowering time Flower properties Eaten in/as (continued) Crataegus monogyna Jacq. April-May Antioxidant, antispasmodic, sedative, hypotensive [1,8,9,20] Syrups, puddings and herb teas. Flower buds are eaten in salads  Magnolia denudata Desr. March-April Antioxidant[15] Salads. Fried in batter. Pickled, to flavour rice  Osmanthus fragrans Lour. Spring and autumn Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitussive [21] Herb teas, decoctions and sweets. Apricot flavour  Sambucus nigra L. April-June Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, diuretic, emollient, sudorific, laxative [1,8,9] Herb teas and drinks. Flavouring honey, jellies and jams Yellow-Orange  Calendula officinalis L. June-December Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiseptic, hepatoprotective, emollient, refreshing, cicatrizing [1,8,9,22] Flavouring and decoration of salted dishes, bakery products and herb teas. Food colouring  Helianthus tuberosus L. August-October Antibacterial, antimycotic [23] Decoration of soups and rice  Helichrysum italicum G.Don May-September Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, emollient, antitussive, expectorant [1,9,24] Herb teas and drinks. Essential oil to flavour food  Hemerocallis fulva L. May-June Antioxidant, anticancer [25] After drying, flavouring of salted and sweet dishes. Flower buds have peas flavour  Mahonia aquifolium Nutt. April-May Antioxidant [26] Herb teas and drinks  Primula vulgaris Hudson February-May Antioxidant [27] Flavouring and decoration of cakes, bakery products and salads. Frozen, to flavour drinks and sorbets  Taraxacum officinale Weber February-May Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, diuretic, laxative, depurative, analgesic [1,8,9,28] Salads and soups  Tilia cordata Mill. May-June Antispasmodic, antitussive, diuretic, emollient, refreshing, sedative, anxiolytic [1,8,9,29] Herb teas and decoctions Various Mentha spp. April-October Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, antitussive, anaesthetic, tonic, carminative [1,8,9] Decoration. Essential oil to flavour food  Prunus spp. March-April Antioxidant, anticancer [30,31] Flavouring and decoration of soups, salads and sweets. Pickled  Rosa spp. May-July Antioxidant, inflammatory, antibacterial, neurotonic [1,8,9,32] Salads. Dried, flavouring and decoration of herb teas, drinks and sweets  Salvia spp. March-August Inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, eupeptic [1,8,9] Flavouring of butter, vinegar, oil, salads and creams. Essential oil to flavour food      Flower colour Species Flowering time Flower properties Eaten in/as (continued) Thymus spp. April-August Antioxidant, antiseptic, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, eupeptic, diuretic, sedative, anti-rheumatic [1,8,9,33] Flavouring of butter, oil, cooked vegetables, salads, soups, pasta and drinks. Essential oil to flavour food [1]Marzi and De Mastro, 2008 [2]Kucekova et al., 2011 [3]Rop et al., 2012 [4]Riaz et al., 2013 [5]Mohammed and Al-Bayati, 2009 [6]Geng et al., 2012 [7]Lin et al., 2000 [8]Maugini et al., 2006 [9]Corbetta et al., 2001 [10]Grzeszczuk et al., 2016 [11]Velez et al., 2016 [12]Christaki et al., 2012 [13]Budzianowski and Budzianowska, 2006 [14]Dhawan et al., 2001 [15]Lu et al., 2016 [16]Kontogianni et al., 2013 [17]Vishal et al., 2009 [18]Sobolewska et al., 2015 [19]Sendl, 1995 [20]Barros et al., 2011 [21]Wu et al., 2009 [22]Muley et al., 2009 [23]Denoroy, 1996 [24]Sala et al., 2002 [25]Fu et al., 2009 [26]Gunduz, 2013 [27]Demir et al., 2014 [28]Schütz et al., 2006 [29]Anesini et al., 1999 [30]Shi et al., 2009 [31]Lee et al., 2007 [32]Ochir et al., 2013 [33]Nikolić et al., 2014Acknowledgments This study was financially supported by the Interreg-Alcotra Fr-It 2014-2020 ANTEA project n.1139, Comune di Cherasco, Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRC, and Fondazione CRT. 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Flowers for edible gardens: combinations of species and colours for northwestern Italy

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Flowers for edible gardens: combinations of species and colours for northwestern Italy

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