Perennial Vegetables

Eric Toensmeier

Table of Contents

Preface

Foreword

Part I: Gardening with Perennial Vegetables

A New Class of Food Plants

• The Species Profiled in This Book

• Article: Types of Perennial Vegetables

• The Benefits of Perennial Vegetables

• Drawbacks of Perennial Vegetables

A Note on “Perennials Grown as Annuals”

• Why You’ve Probably Never Heard of Them Before

• Article: The Origins of Annual Agriculture in North America

• Design Ideas

• Perennial Vegetables in the Annual Vegetable Garden

• Edible Landscaping

• Table: Ornamental Perennial Vegetables for the Edible Landscape

• Article: ECHO: A Subtropical Edible Landscape

• The Edible Water Garden

• Perennial Polycultures

• Table: Multifunctional Perennial Vegetables for Polycultures

• Article: Permaculture and Perennial Polycultures

Naturalizing Perennial Vegetables

• Selecting Species

• Sun, Soils, and Water

• Table: Perennial Vegetables with Special Tolerances

• Climate

• Article: Guidelines and Inspiration for Each Climate Type

• Table: Tropical Species That Can Be Grown as Annuals in Cold

Climates

• Article: Tropical Trees as Dieback Perennials in Zones 8 and 9

• Growing Native and Nonnative Species

• Article: Rethinking Nonnatives

• Techniques

Site Preparation

• Table: Soil Amendments: Which, When, and How Much

• Article: Sheet Mulching: Instant Eden

• Planting and Establishment

• Maintenance

• Table: Diagnosing Nutrient Imbalances

Cultural Practices

• Managing Pests, Diseases, and Varmints

• Article: Plant/Replant Perennials

• Table: Common Diseases of Perennial Vegetables

• Table: Pests of Perennial Vegetables

• Article: Plant-Parasitic Nematodes

• Table: Varmints of Perennial Vegetables

• Article: The Edible Water Garden

Propagation

Backyard Breeding

• How to Use This Book

• Use Caution When Sampling New Food Plants for the First Time

• Article: Understanding Latin Names

• How to Read the Profiles

• Article: Sample Plant Profile

• Onward

Part II: Plant Profiles

Alismataceae: The Water-Plantain Family

• Arrowhead

• Alliaceae: The Onion Family

• Multiplier Onions

• Ramps

• Other Perennial Alliums

Amaranthaceae: The Amaranth Family

• Sissoo Spinach

Apiaceae: The Celery Family

• Arracacha

• Article: The “Lost Crops” of the Incas

• Lovage

Water Celery

• Skirret

Araceae: The Aroid Family

• Edible Aroids (Taro, Belembe, Tannier)

• Article: Calcium Oxalate

Araliaceae: The Aralia Family

• Udo

Asteraceae: The Aster Family

• Chicory and Dandelion

• Globe Artichoke

• Okinawa Spinach

• Sunchoke

• Article: Inulin

• Fuki

• Scorzonera

• Yacon

Basellaceae: The Malabar Spinach Family

• Malabar Spinach

• Ulluco

Brassicaceae: The Cabbage Family

• Perennial Brassicas (Cabbage, Kale, and Broccoli)

• Articles: Pests of the Brassicaceae

• Turkish Rocket

• Sea Kale

• Sylvetta Arugula

• Watercress

Cactaceae: The Cactus Family

• Nopale Cactus

Cannaceae: The Canna Family

• Achira

Caricaceae: The Papaya Family

• Papaya

Chenopodiaceae: The Goosefoot Family

• Saltbush

• Article: Oxalic Acid

• Sea Beet

• Good King Henry

Convolvulaceae: The Morning Glory Family

• Water Spinach

• Sweet Potato

Cucurbitaceae: The Squash Family

• Perennial Cucumber

• Malabar Gourd

• Bitter Melon

• Chayote

• Article: Extending the Range of Chayote and Other Day-Length Sensitive Plants

Cyperaceae: The Sedge Family

• Chufa

• Water Chestnut

Dioscoreaceae: The Yam Family

• Air Potato

• Article: Invasive Pros and Cons

• Yams

Dryopteridiaceae: The Wood-Fern Family

• Ostrich Fern

Euphorbiaceae: The Spurge Family

• Chaya

Bull Nettles

• Cassava

• Katuk

Fabaceae: The Pea Family

• Groundnut

• Basul

• Hyacinth Bean

Water Mimosa

• Perennial Beans

• Winged Bean

Lamiaceae: The Mint Family

• Chinese Artichoke

Liliaceae: The Lily Family

• Asparagus

• Yellow Asphodel

• Camass

• Daylily

• Giant Solomon’s Seal

  Malvaceae: The Mallow Family

  • Edible Hibiscus
  • Cranberry Hibiscus
  • Musk Mallow

  Meliaceae: The Neem Family

• Fragrant Spring Tree

Moraceae: The Mulberry Family

• Breadfruit

Moringaceae: The Moringa Family

• Moringa

Musaceae: The Banana Family

• Banana and Plantain

Nelumbonaceae: The Water Lotus Family

• Water Lotus

Oxalidaceae: The Wood-Sorrel Family

• Oca

Phytolaccaceae: The Pokeweed Family

• Pokeweed

• Haitian Basket Vine

Poaceae: The Grass Family

• Clumping Bamboos

• Table: Clumping Bamboo Species

• Running Bamboos

• Table: Running Bamboo Species

• Article: Rhizome Barriers for Aggressive Running Bamboos

• Pitpit

Polygonaceae: The Smartweed Family

• Rhubarb

• Sorrel

Solanaceae: The Nightshade Family

• Wolfberry

• Ground Cherry

• Pepino Dulce

• Article: Pests and Diseases of the Solanaceae

• Peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplants, and Potatoes

Tetragoniaceae: The New Zealand Spinach Family

• New Zealand Spinach

Tiliaceae: The Linden Family

• Linden

Trapaeolaceae: The Nasturtium Family

• Mashua

Urticaceae: The Nettle Family

• Nettle and Wood Nettle

Part III: Resources

Species Selection Matrix

Recommended Reading

Sources of Perennial Vegetables

Sources of Gardening Supplies

Bibliography

Index