When picking just a few flowers for immediate use, separate them from the calyx, the green backing of the flower which is attached to the stem, as you pick them. With borage, if you hold the flower by the black panthers and twist gently, the whole flower will part from the calyx leaving you with that extraordinarily beautiful blue star in your hand.
The flower part used most often in herbal recipes is the petal. The green sepals, or calyx, are usually removed as it has a bitter taste. For rose petals, other large petals and any with green shading at the base, tear off the bottom section as it may be bitter. For daisy-type flowers, and any with hard centers, pull of their petals and sprinkle them on at the last minute. Small flowers like thyme and marjoram can be left whole.
