The Club Nintendo comic "Super Mario: Verloren in der Zeit" reveals that Fire Flowers have existed since the Stone Age. In this story, Mario uses a Fire Flower to throw Fireballs at a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

In a similar manner to how Mario and Luigi have both eaten and "absorbed" Mushrooms throughout their games, there is much controversy over whether Mario must eat a Fire Flower or simply touch it to become Fire Mario. Although most games make Fire Flowers simply disappear upon contact with Mario, this comic shows that Mario does indeed eat Fire Flowers to use their powers. Mario even reveals something about their taste, claiming that Fire Flowers "taste disgusting, but if I eat them, I can shoot Fireballs".

looks like after years of touching it

he eventually decided one day to eat it