Perennial Vegetables for the South


     Ever since I found this list I have been returning to it whenever I might be going to a plant sale or nursery. There are many plant sales in the spring and fall, so here's a great list of plants that produce food and grow well here in Florida.
     Most, if not all, of these plants can also be fed to the rabbits, except for maybe taro.                                        





Perennial in all of the Hot and Humid zone:


Allium ampeloprasum perennial sweet leek
Allium cepa aggregatum shallot
Allium cepa aggregatum potato onion
Allium cepa proliferum walking onion
Allium fistulosum Welsh onion
Allium tuberosum garlic chives
Apios americana groundnut
Aralia cordata udo
Arundinaria gigantean canebrake bamboo
Asparagus officinalis asparagus
Asphodeline lutea yellow asphodel
Atriplex halimus saltbush
Bambusa spp. clumping bamboos
Brassica oleracea acephala tropical tree kale
Bunias orientalis Turkish rocket
Camassia scillioides wild hyacinth
Canna edulis achira
Cedrella sinensis fragrant spring tree
Cnidoscolus spp. bull nettles
Colocasia esculenta ‘Celery Stem’ taro
Colocasia esculenta taro, cocoyam, eddo, dasheen
Cynara cardunculus cardoon
Cynara scolymus ‘Purple Sicilian’ globe artichoke
Cyperus esculentus sativa chufa
Dioscorea bulbifera air potato
Dioscorea japonica jinenjo
Dioscorea opposita Chinese yam
Diplotaxis spp. sylvetta arugula
Helianthus tuberosa sunchoke
Hemerocallis daylily
Malva moschata musk mallow
Nasturtium officinale watercress
Nelumbo nucifera water lotus
Oenanthe javanica water celery
Opuntia spp. spineless nopale cactus
Petasites japonicus fuki
Phyllostachys spp. running bamboos
Phytolacca americana pokeweed
Polygonatum biflorum canaliculatum giant Solomon’s seal
Qiongzhuea tumidissinoda running bamboo
Rumex acetosa French sorrel
Rumex acetosa ‘Profusion’ sorrel
Rumex acetosella sheep sorrel
Rumex scutatus silver shield sorrel
Sagittaria latifolia arrowhead
Sagittaria sinensis Chinese arrowhead
Sasa kurilensis chishima-zasa bamboo
Scorzonera hispanica scorzonera
Semiarundinaria fastuosa temple bamboo
Stachys sieboldii Chinese artichoke
Taraxacum officinale dandelion
Tilia spp. linden


Perennial in colder parts of the Hot and Humid zone:


Allium tricoccum ramps
Chenopodium bonus-henricus good king Henry
Cicorium intybus chicory
Crambe maritima sea kale
Laportaea canadensis wood nettle
Levisticum officinale lovage
Matteuccia struthiopteris ostrich fern
Urtica dioica nettles

Perennial in warmer parts of the Hot and Humid zone, or perennial with protection. Most of these species can also be grown as annuals in the colder parts of this zone.


Abelmoschus manihot edible hibiscus (as dieback perennial)
Alternanthera sissoo sissoo spinach
Arracacia xanthorhiza arracacha
Basella alba Malabar spinach
Brassica oleracea wild cabbage
Brassica oleracea acephala ‘Western Front’ perennial kale
Brassica oleracea acephala ‘Tree Collards’, ‘Walking Stick Kale’
Brassica oleracea alboglabra gai lon
Brassica oleracea botrytis perennial broccoli, including ‘9 Star’
Brassica oleracea ramosa branching bush kale, including ‘Dorbentons’
Capsicum annum ‘Perennial Capsicum’ sweet pepper
Carica papaya papaya
Coccinia grandis ‘Sterile’ perennial cucumber (probably as dieback perennial in colder parts)
Cnodoscilus chayamansa chaya (as dieback perennial)
Cucurbita ficifolia Malabar gourd
Dendrocalamus spp. clumping bamboos (probably as dieback perennial even in warmest parts)
Dioscorea alata white yam
Dioscorea esculenta asiatic lesser yam
Dioscorea trifida cush cush yam
Dolichos lablab hyacinth bean
Eleocharis dulcis water chestnut
Gigantochloa spp. clumping bamboos (probably as dieback perennial in bad winters)
Gynura crepioides Okinawa spinach
Hibiscus acetosella cranberry hibiscus
Ipomoea aquatica water spinach
Ipomoea batatas sweet potato
Momordica charantia bitter gourd
Manihot esculenta cassava
Moringa spp. moringa (as dieback perennial)
Musa x paradisica ‘Rajapuri’ banana (warmest parts, with long season protection)
Nastus elatus clumping bamboo
Oxalis tuberosa oca
Phaseolus coccineus runner bean
Phaseolus lunatus Lima bean
Phaseolus polysantus cache bean
Physalis pruinosa ground cherry
Psophocarpus tetragonobolus ‘Day Length Neutral’ winged bean
Psophocarpus tetragonobolus winged bean
Saccharum edule pitpit
Sauropus androgynous katuk (as dieback perennial)
Sechium edule chayote
Smallianthus sonchifolia yacon
Solanum tuberosum & spp. potato
Tetragonia tetragonioides New Zealand spinach
Trichostigma octandrum basket vine (as dieback perennial)
Xanthosoma brasiliense belembe
Xanthosoma saggitifolium tannier, yautia, malanga (roots need long season)
Xanthosoma violaceum violet-stem taro (roots need long season)