Edible perennials?

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bamboothew
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Edible perennials?

Post by bamboothew »

What is your favorite edible perennial plant? I mean besides bamboo :) I follow a dietary plan that requires strict control of carbohydrate intake so am mostly interested in leafy vegetables, and would like to grow some different varieties to be able to pick for salad greens during the summer. Would prefer perennials and the more vigorous the better. So far I have japanese knotweed and chinese knotweed (polygonum multiflorum), both of which have raw leaves with a mild spinach flavor, to my taste. Am also looking into growing perennial arugula starting next year, which should be good. Someone also suggested malabar spinach, which is an annual but it supposedly reseeds itself pretty well. Is there anything else anyone would recommend?
God Bless,

Matthew

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Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.
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foxd
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by foxd »

How about garlic chives?

I've gotten to really like passion fruit (aka Maypop) and I understand the leaves can be used to make tea. The flowers are also edible.
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marcat
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by marcat »

Identify your native plants in your area ... you will be suprised at how many are edible. One around here I just found out about is Green Brire. The new 'shoots' are useable like asparages. Who new such a pain in the rear weed would be useful.
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bamboothew
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by bamboothew »

Foxd, thanks, I love strong flavors so garlic chives are a good idea. I grow several culinary herbs already, mints, oregano, rosemary and such, but rarely use them in cooking--perhaps they would make welcome additions to salads as well, in limited amounts. I really need to start cooking with them more as well! Also, I have some passiflora seeds to grow next spring so I do look forward to those, had no idea the leaves were useful and I do love herbal teas!

Marcat, thanks, by green briar are you talking about smilax species? Will need to look into that, since that stuff grows all over the place here. Wasn't even thinking about natives but I know that dandelions and clover are both edible. Tried clover once and it has quite a pleasant taste.

I also grow lots of varieties of hardy prickly pear cactus (genus Opuntia) and they are edible, both the stems and fruit, but have yet to try any of the stems. The cladodes are a good fibrous vegetable and the sap has tonic properties similiar to aloe. I did try a fruit once and it was tasty, but lots of trouble to prepare.
God Bless,

Matthew

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Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.
GrowingHabit
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by GrowingHabit »

It doesn't get much leafier than cardoon. Its a show stopper. I've read that the stems are commonly prepared by scraping the tough surface off, par-boiling, then baking with a little parmesan and butter. Just started my own plant from seed, and we had a really late spring so our season was short- but it still reached 4 foot tall. Next year, we'll be trying some for dinner.

I started Jerusalem Artichoke this year, too. It produced staggering quantities of roots- I've only eaten one, raw, just to see what it was like. Another forum member has already tried this plant, and his family didn't find them very tasty. But the one I tried, I really liked. Not a leafy food, but the carbohydrate in them is supposed to be vastly different than potato starches. I have found a recipe on Food52.com for sunchokes that looks good, but haven't had time to try it, either. Parboiled roots, then baked a little crispy, and topped with a hazelnut gremolata. A search for sunchoke on that site will pop that particular recipe right up.

I think asparagus looks good in a perennial bed.

Mizuna isn't perennial, but reseads readily. Nasturtium leaves are tasty, too.

And one of my favorites- sautéd daylily buds.

I can't come up with much that's perennial AND leafy. :wink:

edit to add: Swiss Chard!
bamboothew
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by bamboothew »

Thanks, GrowingHabit, good sugggestions all! I actually had in mind to plant the sunchokes this past spring but never got around to it, with all the bamboo-obssessed stuff going on :) Even if I didn't like the roots, how great would it be to have perennial sunflowers?! But yes, I think the carbohydrate profile of the sunchokes would probably be acceptable in my regime in moderation, considering how much inulin they contain, which helps slow absorption of sugars. Btw, some people are very sensitive to inulin, which can have gastrointestinally explosive consequences when overingested :shock:
God Bless,

Matthew

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Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.
GrowingHabit
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by GrowingHabit »

The possible... startling consequences of sunchoke overindulgence is good information. No one writes that beside a recipe. Good thing to know, or I'd have made a big platter for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner.

On second thought, maybe I still will serve it. Twould be quite the insurance against having to host again next year... :twisted:
bamboothew
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by bamboothew »

GrowingHabit wrote:The possible... startling consequences of sunchoke overindulgence is good information. No one writes that beside a recipe. Good thing to know, or I'd have made a big platter for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner.

On second thought, maybe I still will serve it. Twould be quite the insurance against having to host again next year... :twisted:
Along with some "deluxe" double chocolate brownies you could get out of hosting for years to come ;)
God Bless,

Matthew

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Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.
GrowingHabit
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by GrowingHabit »

Seriously. Don't tempt me. That's an evil thought... and I like it....
marcat
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by marcat »

Matthew Smilax yes..I hear with cactus pads you need to limit your consumtion too much can up set your stomach. Plan on trying the Green Briar first time I can get enough "Shoots" around here I might get a chance this fall if it stays warm and we get some rain.
Oh Most flower blossoms are edible and are great in salads. Lots of color and taste. Do a search on them you probably have a bunch allready.
Will Yucca grow up there? The one I call Spanish dagger has great tasting flowers.
Marcat
bamboothew
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by bamboothew »

marcat wrote:Matthew Smilax yes..I hear with cactus pads you need to limit your consumtion too much can up set your stomach. Plan on trying the Green Briar first time I can get enough "Shoots" around here I might get a chance this fall if it stays warm and we get some rain.
Oh Most flower blossoms are edible and are great in salads. Lots of color and taste. Do a search on them you probably have a bunch allready.
Will Yucca grow up there? The one I call Spanish dagger has great tasting flowers.
Marcat
Thanks for the cactus advice, I had never heard that but I usually ease carefully into a new vegetable or herb, especially if it is something unusual. Never eat a whole plate of something you've never had before, things could go badly :shock:

We are having a wave of warm weather here as well so perhaps I can try some smilax this fall too.

Never tried to eat blossoms before except rose petals so may give some a try next summer, thanks!

Yuccas grow very well here, actually, but I never knew they were edible, though I guess being closely related to agaves it makes sense.

It is also my understanding that arundo shoots are edible, but very bitter so I probably won't bother trying those. The rhizome is also edible but pretty starchy, I think.
God Bless,

Matthew

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Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.
stevelau1911
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by stevelau1911 »

I think my favorite edible perennial would have to be chinese yam, or dioscorea batatas which produces a vine, and a very long edible tuber. These usually take 2 years from seed to get to a good 2+ inches in diameter, at least in my zone, but it's pretty easy to grow as I just grow them along the fence.

They can also easily be propagated as they produce little air tubers all over their vines which can be planted, and this plant creates pretty enormous underground growth in proportion to it's foliage. The only drawback with it is that the need stuff to climb onto such as bamboo poles or any type of fence.
benboo
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by benboo »

Have your dioscorea batatas produced many air tubers yet? I have heard they are good for eating as their own crop.
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by benboo »

I have two broccoli-like perennials that should flower next year. Crambe maritima and Bunias orientalis. Im curious to see how they taste....
stevelau1911
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Re: Edible perennials?

Post by stevelau1911 »

I only harvested a few this year, and they seem to max out at around 3/4 inch in diameter, and less than a foot long for their first year, but even on their first year, many air tubers were produced and I ended up planting every single one of them along the fences. I left most of them to keep growing because they take a few years to get to a good harvesting size.
benboo wrote:Have your dioscorea batatas produced many air tubers yet? I have heard they are good for eating as their own crop.
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