Some flowers and inflorescences are commonly eaten in several region of the world. The biodiversity is large: bulbous, climbers, shrubs and trees can produce edible flowers. We have compiled a list of edible flower plants belonging to 98 different families, 320 genera and over 500 species and varieties, however most likely the number of edible flowers is higher. The edible flowers mainly belong to the Asteraceae (42 genera), Fabaceae (36 genera) and Lamiaceae (24 genera) families, while pansy (Violaceae), roses (Rosaceae), nasturtiums (Tropaeolaceae), begonia (Begoniaceae) and carnation (Caryophyllaceae) are the most cited flowers as ingredient or dish garnish. Many of the edible flowers consumed especially in Central America, in the Mediterranean and Asia area are wild species and they are collected and consumed locally raw or cooked during blooming season. Wild harvesting is widely carried out in many regions; however, the collectors must have skill and experience to recognize the edible flowers. Apart from the case of artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip greens, and zucchini, domestication or breeding programs with the aim of obtaining edible flower varieties are scarce. However, many varieties selected for ornamental purposes can also have food use. Finally, breeding programs to select new edible flower varieties to design new products are desirable.