How do you want your garden?

Growing up in the province where the space for garden is so wide compared in the city where most people
are crowded and there's not much space to build a house much more to have garden...I miss those days
when i just have to to to the backyard and pick some vegetables for viands or when I crave for fruits like
guava, santol, atis, anonas, guyabano, mango, duhat, bananas, papaya, Langka and lot more!
I am dreaming of having that here in the city...O.M.G! a farm and orchard in the city? I must be crazy!
Yes! I am crazy! But I am going to have it here! in my own space...and everyone can take a peek but do not
pick! Ha! ha! ha!
But what shall I plant first? Where do I start? Help!
Leafy and Salad Vegetables
Leafy and salad vegetables & Fruit vegetables
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Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus)
Amaranth leaves
Amaranthus, collectively known as amaranth, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs. Approximately 60 species
are recognized, with inflorescences and foliage ranging from purple and red to gold. Members of this genus
share many characteristics and uses with members of the closely related genus Celosia.
Although several species are often considered weeds, people around the world value amaranths as leaf
vegetables, cereals, and ornamentals.
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Arugula/Garden Rocket (Eruca sativa)
Eruca sativa (Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa (Miller) Thell., Brassica eruca L.), is an edible annual plant,
commonly known as rocket (roquette) or arugula, not to be confused with Wild rocket. It is a species of
Eruca native to the Mediterranean region, from Morocco and Portugal east toLebanon and Turkey. It is
closely related to Eruca vesicaria and included by some botanists in that either as a subspecies E. vesicaria
subsp. sativa or not distinguished at all; it can be distinguished from E. vesicaria by its early deciduous
sepals.
It is an annual plant growing 20100 centimetres (839 in) in height. The leaves are deeply pinnately lobed
with four to ten small lateral lobes and a large terminal lobe. The flowers are 24 cm (0.81.6 in) in
diameter, arranged in a corymb, with the typical Brassicaceae flower structure; the petals are creamy white
with purple veins, and the stamens yellow; the sepals are shed soon after the flower opens. The fruit is a
siliqua (pod) 1235 millimetres (0.51.4 in) long with an apical beak, and containing several seeds (which
are edible).
Vernacular names include garden rocket or simply rocket (British, Australian & New Zealand
English), eruca, rocket salad, and arugula (American and Canadian English). All names ultimately derive
from the Latin word eruca, a name for an unspecified plant in the family Brassicaceae, probably a type of
cabbage.
It is used as a leaf vegetable, which looks like a longer leaved and open lettuce. It is rich in vitamin C
and potassium. It is frequently cultivated, although domestication cannot be considered complete. It has
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been grown in the Mediterranean area since Roman times, and is considered an aphrodisiac. Before the
1990s it was usually collected in the wild and was not cultivated on a large scale or researched scientifically.
In addition to the leaves, the flowers (often used in salads as an edible garnish), young seed pods and
mature seeds are all edible.
Beet greens (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris)
Beet greens (Beet root leaves)
The beet leaves (Beta vulgaris) is a plant in the Chenopodiaceae family. It is best known in its numerous
cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the purple root vegetable known as the beetroot or
garden beet. However, other cultivated varieties include the leaf vegetables chard and spinach beet, as well
as the root vegetables sugar beet, which is important in the production of table sugar, and mangel wurzel,
which is a fodder crop. Three subspecies are typically recognised. All cultivated varieties fall into the
subspecies Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris, while Beta vulgarissubsp. maritima, commonly known as the sea
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beet, is the wild ancestor of these, and is found throughout the Mediterranean, the Atlantic coast of Europe,
the Near East, and India. A second wild subspecies, Beta vulgaris subsp. adanensis, occurs from Greece to
Syria.
The beet has a long history of cultivation stretching back to the second millennium BC. The plant was
probably domesticated somewhere along the Mediterranean, whence it was later spread to Babylonia by
the 8th century BC and as far east as China by 850 AD. Available evidence, such as that provided by
Aristotle and Theophrastus, suggests the leafy varieties of the beet were grown primarily for most of its
history, though these lost much of their popularity much later following the introduction of spinach. The beet
became highly commercially important in 19th century Europe following the development of the sugar beet
in Germany and the discovery that sucrose could be extracted from them, providing an alternative to
tropical sugar cane. It remains a widely cultivated commercial crop for producing table sugar.
Beta vulgaris is a herbaceous biennial or, rarely, perennial plant with leafy stems growing to 12 m tall. The
leaves are heart-shaped, 520 cm long on wild plants (often much larger in cultivated plants). The flowers
are produced in dense spikes; each flower is very small, 35 mm diameter, green or tinged reddish, with
five petals; they are wind pollinated. The fruit is a cluster of hard nutlets.
The leaves and stems of young plants are steamed briefly and eaten as a vegetable; older leaves and
stems are stir-fried and have a flavour resembling taro leaves.
Bitterleaf (Vernonia calvoana)
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Bitterleaf (Veronia)
Vernonia is a genus of about 1000 species of forbs and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. Some species are
known as Ironweed. Some species are edible and of economic value. They are known for having intense
purple flowers. The genus is named for English botanist William Vernon. There are numerous distinct
subgenera and subsections in this genus. This has led some botanists to divide this large genus into
smaller groups which separate the species into distinct genera. For instance, the Flora of North America
only recognizes about 20 species, 17 of which are in North America or n. Mexico, with the other two or three
being found in South America.
Several species of Vernonia, including V. calvoana, V. amygdalina, and V. colorata, are eaten as leaf
vegetables. Common names for these species include bitterleaf,ewuro, ndole and onugbu. They are
common in most West African and Central African countries. They are one of the most widely consumed
leaf vegetables of Cameroon, where they are a key ingredient of Ndol. The leaves have a sweet and
bitter taste. They are sold fresh or dried, and are a typical ingredient in egusi soup.
V. amygdalina is well known as a medicinal plant with several uses attributed to it, including for diabetes,
fever reduction, and recently a non-pharmaceutical solution to persistent fever, headache, and joint pain
associated with AIDS (an infusion of the plant is taken as needed). These leaves are exported from several
African countries and can be purchased in grocery stores aiming to serve African clients for about
$1.50/225gm pkg. frozen. The roots of V. amygdalina have been used for gingivitis and toothache due to its
proven antimicrobial activity.
In North America, of the 17 species of Vernonia (eg., V. altissima, V. fasciculata, V. flaccidifolia) all have the
same effective properties as a blood purifier and uterus toner, containing sesquiterpene lactone, which
helps also to prevent atherosclerosis.
V. galamensis is used as an oilseed in East Africa. It is grown in many parts of Ethiopia, especially around
the city of Harar, with an average seed yield of 2 to 2.5 t/ha. It is reported that the Ethiopian strains of
Vernonia have the highest oil content, up to 41.9% with up to 80% vernolic acid, and is used in paint
formulations, coatings plasticizers, and as a reagent for many industrial chemicals.
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Bok choy (Brassica rapa Chinensis group)
Bok-choy
Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa, subspecies pekinensis and chinensis) can refer to two distinct varieties of
Chinese leaf vegetables used often in Chinese cuisine. These vegetables are both related to the Western
cabbage, and are of the same species as the common turnip. Both have many variations in name, spelling
and scientific classification especially the "bok choy" or chinensis variety.
At present, the Chinese cabbage is quite commonly found in markets throughout the world.
There are two distinctly different groups of Brassica rapa used as leaf vegetables in China, and a wide
range of varieties within these two groups. The binomial name B. campestris is also used.
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Pekinensis
This group is the more common of the two, especially outside Asia; names such as napa cabbage, d
bici ("large white vegetable"), Baguio pechay or pechay wombok (Tagalog); Chinese white cabbage;
baechu (Korean), wongbok and hakusai (Japanese) usually refer to members of this group. Pekinensis
cabbages have broad green leaves with white petioles, tightly wrapped in a cylindrical formation and usually
forming a compact head. As the group name indicates, this is particularly popular in northern China around
Beijing (Peking).
Chinensis
The Chinensis varieties do not form heads; instead, they have smooth, dark green leaf blades forming a
cluster reminiscent of mustard or celery. Chinensis varieties are popular in southern China and Southeast
Asia. Being winter-hardy, they are increasingly grown in Northern Europe. This group was originally
classified as its own species under the name B. chinensis by Linnaeus.
Bok-choy or Chinese cabbage contains a high amount of Vitamin A per 4 oz. serving - about 3500 IU. Bok-
choy also contains approximately 50 mg of Vitamin C per 4 oz. serving.
Bok-choy contains glucosinolates. These compounds have been reported to prevent cancer in small doses,
but are toxic to humans in large doses. In 2009, an elderly woman who had been consuming 1 to 1.5 kg of
raw bok choy per day developed hypothyroidism, resulting in myxedema coma. There are other milder
symptoms from over-consumption of bok-choy, such as nausea, dizziness and indigestion in people with
weaker digestive systems. Sometimes this is caused by not thoroughly cooking.
Broccoli Rabe (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa)
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Broccoli rabe leaves
Rapini (also known as Broccoli Rabe or Raap or Raab), Broccoletti, Broccoli di Rape,Cime di Rapa, Rape,
Rappi, Friarielli (in Naples) is a common vegetable in the cuisines of Southern Italy (in particular Basilicata ,
Puglia and Sicily), Galicia (northwestern Spain) andChina. The plant is a member of the Brassiceae tribe of
the Brassicaceae, whose taxonomy is very difficult. Rapini is classified scientifically as Brassica rapa
subspecies rapa, in the same subspecies as the turnip, but has had various other designations, including
Brassica rapa ruvo, Brassica rapa rapifera, Brassica ruvo, Brassica campestris ruvo.
Rapini has many spiked leaves that surround a green bud which looks very similar to a small head of
broccoli. There may be small yellow flowers blooming from the buds, which are edible.
The flavor of rapini has been described as nutty, bitter, and pungent.
Rapini is a source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, calcium, and iron.
A common preparation involves sauteing it with garlic over low heat for 10 - 15 minutes.
Brussels sprout (Brassica oleracea Gemmifera group)
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Brussels sprout
Brussels sprout is a cultivar of wild cabbage grown for its edible buds. The leafy green vegetables are
typically 2.54 cm (0.981.6 in) in diameter and look like miniature cabbages. The sprout is Brassica
oleracea, in the "gemmifera" group of the family Brassicaceae. Although named after the city in Belgium,
few historians believe the plant originated there.
Brussels sprouts grow in heat ranges of 724 C (4575 F), with highest yields at 1518 C (5964
F). Fields are ready for harvest 90 to 180 days after planting. The edible sprouts grow like buds in a spiral
along the side of long thick stalks of approximately 60 to 120 cm (24 to 47 in) in height, maturing over
several weeks from the lower to the upper part of the stalk. Sprouts may be picked by hand into baskets, in
which case several harvests are made of 5 to 15 sprouts at a time, by cutting the entire stalk at once for
processing, or by mechanical harvester, depending on variety. Each stalk can produce 1.1 to 1.4 kg (2.4 to
3.1 lb), although the commercial yield is approximately 900 g (2.0 lb) per stalk. In the home garden,
"sprouts are sweetest after a good, stiff frost."
Brussels sprouts are a cultivar of the same species that includes cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, kale,
and kohlrabi; they are cruciferous. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary
fibre. Moreover, they are believed to protect against colon cancer, because they contain sinigrin. Although
they contain compounds such as goitrin that can act as goitrogens and interfere with thyroid hormone
production, realistic amounts in the diet do not seem to have any effect on the function of the thyroid gland
in humans.
Brussels sprouts, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane, a chemical believed to have
potent anti-cancer properties. Although boiling reduces the level of the anti-cancer compounds, steaming,
microwaving, and stir frying does not result in significant loss.
Brussels sprouts and other brassicas are also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA
repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.
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The most common method of preparing Brussels sprouts for cooking begins with removal of the buds from
the stalk. Any surplus stem is cut away and the surface leaves that are loosened by this cutting are peeled
and discarded. Cooking methods include boiling, steaming and roasting; however, boiling results in
significant loss of anti-cancer compounds. To ensure even cooking throughout, buds of a similar size are
usually chosen. Some cooks will make a single cut or a cross in the centre of the stem to aid the
penetration of heat.
Whatever cooking method is employed, it's important not to overcook them, which will render them gray and
soft. Overcooking releases the glucosinolate sinigrin, which has a sulphurous odour. The odour is the
reason many people profess to dislike Brussels sprouts, having only ever tried them overcooked. Generally
67 minutes boiled or steamed is enough to cook them sufficiently.
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata group)
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne(Capitata Group) of the Family
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Brassicaceae (or Cruciferae) and is used as a leafy green vegetable. It is a herbaceous, biennial,
dicotyledonous flowering plant distinguished by a short stem upon which is crowded a mass of leaves,
usually green but in some varieties red or purplish, which while immature form a characteristic compact,
globular cluster (cabbagehead).
The plant is also called head cabbage or heading cabbage, and in Scotland a bowkail, from its rounded
shape. The Scots call its stalk a "castock", and the British occasionally call its head a loaf. It is in the same
genus as the turnip Brassica rapa.
Cabbage leaves often have a delicate, powdery, waxy coating called bloom. The occasionally sharp or
bitter taste of cabbage is due to glucosinolate. Cabbages are also a good source of riboflavin.
The cultivated cabbage is derived from a leafy plant called the wild mustard plant, native to
theMediterranean region, where it is common along the seacoast. Also called sea cabbage and wild
cabbage, it was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans; Cato the Elder praised this vegetable for its
medicinal properties, declaring that "It is the cabbage that surpasses all other vegetables." The English
name derives from the Normanno-Picard caboche (head), perhaps fromboche (swelling, bump). Cabbage
was developed by ongoing artificial selection for suppression of the internode length.
The only part of the plant that is normally eaten is the leafy head; more precisely, the spherical cluster of
immature leaves, excluding the partially unfolded outer leaves. Cabbage is used in a variety of dishes for its
naturally spicy flavor. The so-called "cabbage head" is widely consumed raw, cooked, or preserved in a
great variety of dishes.
Catsear (Hypochaeris radicata)
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Catsear leaves
Catsear (Hypochaeris radicata or Hypochoeris radicata), also known as flatweed, cat's ear or false
dandelion, is a perennial, low-lying edible herb often found in lawns. The plant is native to Europe, but has
also been introduced to the Americas, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
The leaves, which may grow up to eight inches, are lobed and covered in fine hairs, forming a low-lying
rosette around a central taproot. Forked stems carry bright yellow flower heads, and when mature these
form seeds attached to windborne "parachutes". All parts of the plant exude a milky sap when cut.
All parts of the catsear plant are edible; however, the leaves and roots are those most often harvested. The
leaves are bland in taste but can be eaten raw in salads, steamed, or used in stir-fries. Older leaves can
become tough and fibrous, but younger leaves make for good eating. In contrast to the edible leaves of
dandelion, catsear leaves only rarely have some bitterness. In Crete, Greece, the leaves of a variety called
pachies () or agrioradika () are eaten boiled or cooked in steam by the locals.
The root can be roasted and ground to form a coffee substitute.
Celery (Apium graveolens)
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Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery (var. dulce) or
celeriac (var. rapaceum), depending on whether the petioles (stalks) or roots are eaten: celery refers to the
former and celeriac to the latter.
Apium graveolens is used around the world as a vegetable, either for the crisp petiole (leaf stalk) or the
fleshy toproot.
In temperate countries, celery is also grown for its seeds. Actually very small fruit, these "seeds" yield a
valuable volatile oil used in the perfume and pharmaceutical industries. They also contain an organic
compound called apiol. Celery seeds can be used as flavouring or spice, either as whole seeds or ground
and mixed with salt, as celery salt. Celery salt can also be made from an extract of the roots. Celery salt is
used as a seasoning, in cocktails (notably to enhance the flavour of Bloody Mary cocktails), on the
Chicago-style hot dog, and in Old Bay Seasoning.
The use of celery seed in pills for relieving pain was described by Aulus Cornelius Celsus around 30
AD. Celery seeds contain a compound, 3-N-butyl-phthalide, that has been demonstrated to lower blood
pressure in rats.
It is thought to be an aphrodisiac by some people, because it is thought to contain androsterone, a
metabolic product of testosterone. However, this is a misunderstanding of androstenone.
Bergapten in the seeds can increase photosensitivity, so the use of essential oil externally in bright
sunshine should be avoided. However, this is a potentially useful action in psoriasis, with caution, and
celery, along with other umbellifers, is one of the vegetables to be included in the diet as a source of
psoralens for this purpose according to herbalists. This may constitute a risk factor, though, in skin cancer.
The oil and large doses of seeds should be avoided during pregnancy, as they can act as a uterine
stimulant. Seeds intended for cultivation are not suitable for eating as they are often treated with fungicides.
A common use for the seeds is as a "blood purifier", and it is sometimes taken for arthritis.
Celery is used in weight-loss diets, where it provides low-calorie dietary fibre bulk. Celery seeds are also a
great source of calcium, and are regarded as a good alternative to animal products.
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Celtuce (Lactuca sativa var. asparagina)
Celtuce (Lactuca sativa var. asparagina, augustana, or angustata), also called stem lettuce, celery
lettuce, asparagus lettuce, or Chinese lettuce, IPA (UK,US) /slt.s/, is a cultivar of lettuce grown primarily for its
thick stem, used as a vegetable. It is especially popular in China, where it is the most common form of lettuce, and is
called wosun (Chinese; pinyin: wsn) or woju (Chinese:; pinyin: wj) (although the latter name may also be used
to mean lettuce in general).
The stem is usually harvested at a length of around 1520 cm and a diameter of around 34 cm. It is crisp, moist,
and mildly flavored, and typically prepared by slicing and then stir frying with more strongly flavored ingredients.
Ceylon spinach (Basella alba)
Basella alba, or Malabar spinach (also Phooi leaf, Red vine spinach, Creeping spinach,Climbing spinach) is
a perennial vine found in the tropics where it is widely used as a leaf vegetable.
Basella alba is a fast-growing, soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 m in length. Its thick, semi-succulent, heart-
shaped leaves have a mild flavour and mucilaginous texture. The stem of the cultivar Basella alba 'Rubra' is
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reddish-purple.
Basella alba grows well under full sunlight in hot, humid climates and in areas lower than 500 m above sea
level. Growth is slow in low temperatures resulting in low yields. Flowering is induced during the short-day
months of November to February. It grows best in sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with pH ranging
from 5.5 to 8.0.
Typical of leaf vegetables, Malabar spinach is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. It is low in
calories by volume, but high in protein per calorie. The succulent mucilage is a particularly rich source of
soluble fiber. Among many other possibilities, Malabar spinach may be used to thicken soups or stir-fries
with garlic and chili peppers.
Chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla)
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Swiss chard leaves
Chard (Beta cicla), also known by the common names Swiss chard, silverbeet, perpetual spinach, spinach
beet, crab beet, bright lights (due to the bright and vivid spring colors when they are cooked or provided as
a medley of vegetables), seakale beet, and mangold, is a leafy vegetable, and is one of the cultivated
descendants of the sea beet, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima. Although the leaves are eaten, it is in the same
group and sub-family as beetroot (garden beet), which is usually grown primarily for its edible roots.
The word Swiss was used to distinguish chard from French spinach varieties by 19th century seed catalog
publishers. The chard is very popular among Mediterranean cooks. The first varieties have been traced
back to Sicily.
Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender, or after maturity, when they are larger and
have slightly tougher stems. Raw chard is extremely perishable.
Chard has shiny green ribbed leaves, with stems that range from white to yellow to red, depending on the
cultivar. It has a slightly bitter taste. Fresh young chard can be used raw in salads. Mature chard leaves
and stalks are typically cooked (like in pizzoccheri) or sauteed; their bitterness fades with cooking, leaving a
refined flavor which is more delicate than that of cooked spinach.
Cultivars of chard include green forms, such as 'Lucullus' and 'Fordhook Giant', as well as red-ribbed forms
such as 'Ruby Chard', 'Rainbow Chard', and 'Rhubarb Chard'. The red-ribbed forms are very attractive in
the garden, but as a rough general rule, the older green forms will tend to out-produce the colorful hybrids.
Chard and the other beets are chenopods, a group which is either its own family Chenopodiaceae or a
subfamily within the Amaranthaceae.
All parts of the chard plant contain oxalic acid.
Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, K and C, with a 175 g serving containing 214%, 716%, and 53%,
respectively, of the recommended daily value. It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein
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Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius subsp. aconitifolius)
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, commonly known as Chaya or Tree Spinach, is a large, fast growing leafy
perennial shrub that is believed to have originated in the Yucatn Peninsula ofMexico. The specific epithet,
"aconitifolius", refers to its Aconitum-like leaves. It has succulent stems which exude a milky sap when cut. It
can grow to be 6 meters tall, but is usually pruned to about 2 m for easier leaf harvest. It is a popular leaf
vegetable in Mexican and Central American cuisines, similar to spinach. The leaves must be cooked before
being eaten, as the raw leaves are toxic.
Chaya is easy to grow, a tender perennial in the US, and suffers little insect damage. It is tolerant of heavy
rain and has some drought tolerance. Propagation is normally by woody stem cuttings about 6-12 inches
long, as seeds are produced only rarely. Early growth is slow as roots are slow to develop on the cuttings,
so leaves are not harvested until the second year. Chaya leaves can be harvested continuously as long as
no more than 50% of the leaves are removed from the plant, which guarantees healthy new plant growth.
A USDA study in Puerto Rico reported that higher yields of greens could be obtained with chaya than any
other vegetable they had studied. In another study chaya leaves were found to contain substantially greater
amounts of nutrients than spinach leaves.
Some varieties have stinging hairs and require gloves for harvesting. Cooking destroys the stinging hairs.
Chaya is one of the most productive green vegetables.
Chaya is a good source of protein, vitamins, calcium, and iron; and is also a rich source of
antioxidants. However, raw chaya leaves are toxic as they contain a glucoside that can release toxic
cyanide. Cooking is essential prior to consumption to inactivate the toxic components; in this chaya is
similar to cassava, which also contains toxic hydrocyanic glycosides and must be cooked before being
eaten. butter. Cooking for 20 minutes or more will render the leaves safe to eat. The stock or liquid the
leaves are cooked in can also safely be consumed as the cyanide is volatilized
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Young Chaya leaves and the thick, tender stem tips are cut and boiled as a spinach. It is a tasty vegetable,
and is exceptionally high in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin A. In fact, levels of chaya leaf nutrients are
two to threefold greater than any other land-based leafy green vegetable. Chaya leaves have a possible
antidiabetic effect. Traditionally leaves are immersed and simmered for 20 minutes and then served with oil
or as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) during cooking. Cooking in aluminum cookware can result in a toxic reaction,
causing diarrhea.
Chickweed (Stellaria)
Chickweed (Stellaria) leaves
Stellaria is a genus of about 90-120 species flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, with
acosmopolitan distribution. Common names include stitchwort and chickweed.
Some species, including Stellaria media, are used as leaf vegetables, often raw in salads.
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Stellaria media is widespread in North America from the Brooks Range in Alaska to all points south within
North America. There are several closely related plants referred to as chickweed, but which lack the
culinary and medicinal properties of plants in the genus Stellaria. Plants in the genus Cerastium are very
similar in appearance to Stellaria and are in the same family (Carophyllaceae). Stellaria media can be easily
distinguished from all other members of this family by examining the stems. Stellaria has fine hairs on only
one side of the stem in a single band. Other members of the family Carophyllaceae which resemble Stellaria
have hairs uniformly covering the entire stem.
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
Common chicory, Cichorium intybus, is an erect, somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant with bright
blue flowers. Various varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds), or for roots (var.
sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. It is also grown as a
forage crop for livestock. It lives as a wild plant on roadsides in its native Europe, and in North America and
Australia, where it has become naturalized.
"Chicory" is also the common name in the United States for curly endive (Cichorium endivia); these two
closely related species are often confused.
Common chicory is also known as blue sailors, succory, and coffee weed. It is also called cornflower,
although that name is more commonly applied to Centaurea cyanus. Common names for varieties of var.
foliosum include endive, radicchio, Belgian endive, French endive, red endive,sugarloaf or witloof.
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When flowering, chicory has a tough, grooved, and more or less hairy stem, from 30 to 100 centimetres (10
to 40 in) tall.
The leaves are stalked, lanceolate and unlobed.
The flower heads are 2 to 4 centimetres (0.79 to 1.6 in) wide, and usually bright blue, rarely white or pink.
There are two rows of involucral bracts; the inner are longer and erect, the outer are shorter and
spreading. It flowers from July until October.
The achenes have no pappus (feathery hairs), but do have toothed scales on top
Wild chicory leaves are usually bitter. Their bitterness is appreciated in certain cuisines, such as in the
Liguria and Puglia regions of Italy and also in Catalonia (Spain), in Greece and in Turkey.In Ligurian cuisine
the wild chicory leaves are an ingredient of preboggion and in Greek cuisine of horta; in the Puglian region
wild chicory leaves are combined with fava bean puree in the traditional local dish Fave e Cicorie
Selvatiche.
By cooking and discarding the water the bitterness is reduced, after which the chicory leaves may be
sauteed with garlic, anchovies and other ingredients. In this form the resulting greens might be combined
with pasta or accompany meat dishes.
Chicory may be cultivated for its leaves, usually eaten raw as salad leaves. Cultivated chicory is generally
divided into three types, of which there are many varieties:
Radicchio usually has variegated red or red and green leaves. Some only refer to the white-veined red
leaved type as radicchio. Also known as red endive and red chicory. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which
mellows when it is grilled or roasted. It can also be used to add color and zest to salads.
Sugarloaf looks rather like cos lettuce, with tightly packed leaves.
Belgian endive is also known as French endive, witlof in Dutch or witloof in Belgian Dutch, witloof in the
United States[citation needed], chicory in the UK, as witlof in Australia,endive in France, and chicon in parts
of northern France and in Wallonia. It has a small head of cream-coloured, bitter leaves. It is grown
completely underground or indoors in the absence of sunlight in order to prevent the leaves from turning
green and opening up (etiolation). The plant has to be kept just below the soil surface as it grows, only
showing the very tip of the leaves. It is often sold wrapped in blue paper to protect it from light and so
preserve its pale colour and delicate flavour. The smooth, creamy white leaves may be served stuffed,
baked, boiled, cut and cooked in a milk sauce, or simply cut raw. The tender leaves are slightly bitter; the
whiter the leaf, the less bitter the taste. The harder inner part of the stem at the bottom of the head should
be cut out before cooking to prevent bitterness. Belgium exports chicon/witloof to over 40 different
countries. The technique for growing blanched endives was accidentally discovered in the 1850s
in Schaerbeek, Belgium. Endive is cultivated for culinary use by cutting the leaves from the growing plant,
then keeping the living stem and root in a dark place. A new bud develops but without sunlight it is white
and lacks the bitterness of the sun-exposed foliage. Today France is the largest producer of endive.
Although leaf chicory is often called "endive", true endive (Cichorium endivia) is a different species in the
genus
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Chinese/ Napa cabbage (Brassica rapa Pekinensis and Chinensis groups)
Chinese cabbage
Napa cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis), also known as celery cabbage, is a type of Chinese cabbage
originating near the Beijing region of China, and is widely used in East Asian cuisine. In much of the world, this is
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the vegetable referred to as "Chinese cabbage". Napa cabbage is lighter in color than other Chinese cabbages
such as bok choy, which is also sometimes called Chinese cabbage. In the United Kingdom, this vegetable is
known as "Chinese Leaf".
The name "napa" comes from colloquial and regional Japanese, where nappa refers to the leaves of any
vegetable, especially when used as food. The Japanese name for this specific variety of cabbage is hakusai ,
literally "white vegetable", a cognate of the Chinese name.
In Korean cuisine, it is the main ingredient of baechu kimchi, the most common type of kimchi, but is also eaten
raw as a wrap for pork or oysters, dipped in gochujang. The outer, tougher leaves are used in soups.
Napa cabbage is widely used in China, Japan, and Korea. Because of immigrants from these nations, it is also
readily found in many North American, European and Australian cities.
The flavor has been described by some as delicate compared to bok choy or cabbage, and it can be used in stir-
fry with other ingredients such as tofu, mushroom or zucchini.
Napa cabbage is used as a sign of prosperity in China, and its image often appears as a symbol in glass and
porcelain figures. The famous Jadeite Cabbage sculpture of Taiwan's National Palace Museum is a carving of a
napa cabbage variety.
Chinese Mallow (Malva verticillata)
Malva is a genus of about 2530 species of herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial plants in the family
Malvaceae (of which it is the type genus), one of several closely related genera in the family to bear the
common English name mallow. The genus is widespread throughout the temperate, subtropical and tropical
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regions of Africa, Asia and Europe. The word "mallow" is derived from Old English "malwe", which was
imported from Latin "malva", which originated in Ancient Greek (malakh) meaning "yellow" or
Hebrew (malakh) meaning "salty". A number of species, previously considered to belong to Lavatera,
have been moved to Malva.
The leaves are alternate, palmately lobed. The flowers are from 0.55 cm diameter, with five pink or white
petals.
The colour mauve was in 1859 named after the French name for this plant.
Several species are widely grown as garden flowers, while some are invasive weeds, particularly in the
Americas where they are not native.
Many species are edible as leaf vegetables. Known as ebegmeci in Turkish, it is used as vegetable in
Turkey in various forms such as stuffing the leaves with bulgur or rice or using the boiled leaves as side
dish. Malva verticillata is grown on a limited commercial scale in China; when made as a herbal infusion, it is
used for its colon cleansing properties and as a weight loss supplement.
Very easily grown, short-lived perennials often grown as ornamental plants. Mild tasting young mallow
leaves can be a substitute for lettuce, whereas older leaves are better cooked as a leafy green vegetable.
The buds and flowers can be used in salads.
Cultivation is by sowing the seeds directly outdoors in early spring. The seed is easy to collect, and they will
often spread themselves by seed.
In Catalonia (Southern Europe) they use the leaves to cure stinging nettles sting.
Bodo tribals in Bodoland, Assam (Northeast India) cultivate a sub-species of malva and use it extensively in
their traditional cuisine, although its use is not much known among other people of India.
Chrysanthemum leaves (Chrysanthemum coronarium)
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Chrysanthemums leaves
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus (Chrysanthemum) constituting
approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceaewhich is native to Asia and
northeastern Europe.
The name Chrysanthemum is derived from the Greek, chrysos (gold) and anthos (flower)
Chrysanthemum are herbaceous perennial plants growing to 50150 cm tall, with deeply lobed leaves with
large flower heads that are generally white, yellow or pink in the wild and are the preferred diet of larvae of
certain lepidoptera species see list of Lepidoptera that feed on chrysanthemums.
Yellow or white chrysanthemum flowers of the species C. morifolium are boiled to make a sweet drink in
some parts of Asia. The resulting beverage is known simply as "chrysanthemum tea" (pinyin: jhu ch, in
Chinese). Chrysanthemum tea has many medicinal uses, including an aid in recovery from influenza. In
Korea, a rice wine flavored with chrysanthemum flowers is called gukhwaju.
Chrysanthemum leaves are steamed or boiled and used as greens, especially in Chinese cuisine. Other
uses include using the petals of chrysanthemum to mix with a thick snake meat soup in order to enhance
the aroma.
Chrysanthemum plants have been shown to reduce indoor air pollution by the NASA Clean Air Study
Extracts of Chrysanthemum plants (stem and flower) have been shown to have a wide variety of potential
medicinal properties, including anti-HIV-1,antibacterial and antimycotic.
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Collard greens (Brassica oleracea)
Collard greens are various loose-leafed cultivars of Brassica oleracea (Acephala Group), the same species
that produces cabbage and broccoli. The plant is grown for its large, dark-colored, edible leaves and as a
garden ornamental, mainly in Brazil, Portugal, the Southern United States, many parts of Africa,
Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern Croatia,Spain and in Kashmir. They are classified in the
same cultivar group as kale and spring greens, to which they are closely similar genetically. The name
collard is a shortened form of the word colewort ("cabbage plant").
The plant is also called couve in Brazil, couve-galega in Portugal, "kovi" or "kobi" in Cape Verde, berza in
Spanish-speaking countries, Ratika in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and Ratan in Montenegro. In
Kashmir it is called haak. In Congo, Tanzania and Kenya (East Africa) the plant is called Sukuma wiki.
The Cultivar Group name Acephala ("without a head" in Greek) refers to the fact that this variety ofB.
oleracea does not have the usual close-knit core of leaves ("head") like cabbage. The plant is a biennial
where winter frost occurs, perennial in even colder regions. It is also moderately sensitive to salinity. It has
an upright stalk, often growing up to two feet tall. The plant is very similar to kale. Popular cultivars of
collard greens include Georgia Southern, Morris Heading, Butter Collard (orcouve-manteiga), and couve
tronchuda.
The plant is commercially cultivated for its thick, slightly bitter edible leaves. They are available year-round,
but are tastier and more nutritious in the cold months, after the first frost. For best texture, the leaves
should be picked before they reach their maximum size, at which stage the leaves will be thicker and should
be cooked differently from the new leaves. Age will not affect flavor. Flavor and texture also depend on the
cultivar; the couve-manteiga and couve tronchuda are especially appreciated in Brazil and Portugal.
Fresh collard leaves can be stored for up to 10 days if refrigerated to just above freezing (1 C) at high
humidity (>95%). In domestic refrigerators, fresh collard leaves can be stored for about three days. Once
cooked, they can be frozen and stored for greater lengths of time.
Widely considered to be a healthy food, collards are good sources of vitamin C and soluble fiber and
contain multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and sulforaphane.
[citation needed] Roughly a quarter pound (approx. 100 g) of cooked collards contains 46 calories.
Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have recently discovered that 3,3'-Diindolylmethane
in Brassica vegetables such as collard greens is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system
with potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity.
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Corn salad/ Lamb's lettuce (Valerianella locusta)
Corn salad leaves
Corn salad (Valerianella locusta (Linnaeus) or Valerianella olitoria (Moench) - the synonymValeriana is
obsolete but appears frequently in older texts) is a small dicot annual plant of the family Valerianaceae. It is
also called Lewiston cornsalad, lamb's lettuce, fetticus, field salad, mche, feldsalat, nut lettuce and
rapunzel.
Corn salad grows in a low rosette with spatulate leaves up to 15.2 cm long. It is a hardy plant that grows to
zone 5, and in mild climates it is grown as a winter green. In warm conditions it tends to bolt to seed.
Corn salad grows wild in parts of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia.In Europe and Asia it is a
common weed in cultivated land and waste spaces. In North America it has escaped cultivation and become
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naturalized on both the eastern and western seaboards.
Like other formerly foraged greens, corn salad has many nutrients, including three times as much vitamin C
as lettuce, beta-carotene, B6, B9, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids. It is best if gathered before flowers
appear.
Cress (Lepidium sativum)
Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is a fast-growing, edible herb that is botanically related to watercress and
mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavor and aroma. In some regions, garden cress is known as garden
pepper cress, pepper grass, pepperwort or poor man's pepper.
This annual plant can reach a height of 60 cm (~24 inches), with many branches on the upper part. The
white to pinkish flowers are only 2 mm (1/12 of an inch) across, clustered in branched racemes
Garden Cress is commercially grown in England, France, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Cultivation of
garden cress is practical on both mass scales and on the individual scale. Garden cress is suitable for
hydroponic cultivation and thrives in water that is slightly alkaline.
Garden Cress is added to soups, sandwiches and salads for its tangy flavor. It is also eaten as sprouts, and
the fresh or dried seed pods can be used as a peppery seasoning (haloon). In England cut cress shoots
are commonly used in sandwiches with boiled eggs, mayonnaise and salt.
Lepidium sativum seeds are used medicinally for indigestion and constipation
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Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Dandelion (Taraxacum of f icinale)
Taraxacum (pronounced /trkskm/) is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. They
are native to Eurasia and North America, and two species, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, are found
as weeds worldwide. Both species are edible in their entirety. The common name dandelion (pronounced /
dndla.n/ dan-di-ly-n, from French dent-de-lion, meaning lion's tooth) is given to members of the
genus, and like other members of the Asteraceae family, they have very small flowers collected together
into a composite flower head. Each single flower in a head is called a floret. Many Taraxacum species
produce seeds asexually by apomixis, where the seeds are produced without pollination, resulting in
offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant.
The leaves are 525 cm long or longer, simple and basal, entire or lobed, forming a rosette above the
central taproot. The flower heads are yellow to orange colored, and are open in the daytime but closed at
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night. The heads are borne singly on a hollow stem (scape) that rises 110 cm or more above the leaves
and exudes a milky sap (latex) when broken. A rosette may produce several flowering stems at a time. The
flower heads are 25 cm in diameter and consist entirely of ray florets. The flower heads mature into
spherical "clocks" containing many single-seeded fruits called achenes. Each achene is attached to a
pappus of fine hairs, which enable wind-aided dispersal over long distances.
The flower head is surrounded by bracts (sometimes mistakenly called sepals) in two series. The inner
bracts are erect until the seeds mature, then flex downward to allow the seeds to disperse; the outer bracts
are always reflexed downward. Some species drop the "parachute" from the achenes; the hair-like
parachutes are calledpappus, and they are modified sepals. Between the pappus and the achene, there is
a stalk called a beak, which elongates as the fruit matures. The beak breaks off from the achene quite
easily, separating the seed from the parachute.
Dandelions are found on all continents and have been gathered since prehistory, but the varieties
cultivated for consumption are mainly native to Eurasia. A perennial plant, its leaves will grow back if the
taproot is left intact. To make leaves more palatable, they are often blanched to remove
bitterness. Dandelion leaves and buds have been a part of traditional Sephardic, Chinese and Korean
cuisine. In the north-eastern United States, dandelion is cultivated and eaten in salad. In Crete, Greece, the
leaves of a variety called Mari (), Mariaki () or Koproradiko () are eaten by locals,
either raw or boiled in salads. Another species endemic to Crete, is eaten in the same way; it is found only
at high altitudes (1000 to 1600 m.) and in fallow sites, and is called pentaramia () or agrioradiko
() and which has been named Taraxacum megalorhizon by Prof. Michalis Damanakis of the
Botanics Department of the University of Crete.
The flower petals, along with other ingredients, are used to make dandelion wine. The ground, roasted
roots can be used as a caffeine-free dandelion coffee.
Dandelion leaves contain abundant vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A, C and K, and are good
sources of calcium, potassium, iron and manganese.
Historically, dandelion was prized for a variety of medicinal properties, and it contains a wide number of
pharmacologically active compounds. Dandelion is used as folk remedies in North America, Mexico and
China. Culturally, it was used to treat infections, bile and liver problems, as well as cancers, and as a
diuretic. There is evidence to suggest it may have anti-inflammatory effects and assist with urinary tract
infections in women. Dandelion pollen may cause allergic reactions when eaten, or adverse skin reactions
in sensitive individuals. Due to its high potassium level, dandelion may also increase the risk of
hyperkalemia when taken with potassium-sparing diuretics.
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Endive (Cichorium endivia)
Cichorium endivia
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Endive, Cichorium endivia, is a leaf vegetable belonging to the daisy family. Endive can be cooked or used
raw in salads.
Endive is also a common name for some types of chicory (Cichorium intybus). There is considerable
confusion between Cichorium endivia and Cichorium intybus.
Endive belongs to the chicory genus, which includes several similar bitter leafed vegetables. Species
include endive (Cichorium endivia), Cichorium pumilum and common chicory (Cichorium intybus). Common
chicory includes chicory types such as radicchio, puntarelle and Belgian endive.
Endive is rich in many vitamins and minerals, especially in folate and vitamins A and K, and is high in fiber.
There are two main varieties of cultivated endive:
Curly endive, or frise (var crispum)
This type has narrow, green, curly outer leaves. It is sometimes called chicory in the United States and is
called chicore frise in French. Further confusion results from the fact that frise also refers to a
technique in which greens are lightly wilted with oil.
Escarole, or broad-leaved endive (var latifolia)
This has broad, pale green leaves and is less bitter than the other varieties. Varieties or names include
broad-leaved endive, Bavarian endive, Batavian endive, grumolo, scarola, and scarole. It is eaten like other
greens, sauteed, chopped into soups and stews, or as part of a green salad.
Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides)
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Epazote leaves
Epazote, wormseed, Jesuit's tea, Mexican tea, Paico or Herba Sancti Mari (Dysphania ambrosioides,
formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides) is an herb native to Central America, South America, and southern
Mexico.
It is an annual or short-lived perennial plant, growing to 1.2 m tall, irregularly branched, with oblong-
lanceolate leaves up to 12 cm long. The flowers are small and green, produced in a branched panicle at
the apex of the stem.
Epazote is used as a leaf vegetable and herb for its pungent flavor. Raw, it has a resinous, medicinal
pungency, similar to anise, fennel, or even tarragon, but stronger. Epazote's fragrance is strong but difficult
to describe. It has been compared to citrus, petroleum, savory, mint and camphor.
Although it is traditionally used with black beans for flavor and its carminative properties, it is also
sometimes used to flavor other traditional Mexican dishes as well: it can be used to season quesadillas and
sopes (especially those containing huitlacoche), soups, mole de olla, tamales with cheese and chile,
chilaquiles, eggs and potatoes and enchiladas.
Epazote is commonly believed to prevent flatulence caused by eating beans and is therefore used to
season them. It is also used in the treatment of amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, malaria, chorea, hysteria,
catarrh, and asthma.
Oil of chenopodium is derived from this plant. It is antihelminthic, that is, it kills intestinal worms, and was
once listed for this use in the US Pharmacopeia. It is also cited as an antispasmodic and abortifacient.
Epazote essential oil contains ascaridole (up to 70%), limonene, p-cymene, and smaller amounts of
numerous other monoterpenes and monoterpene derivatives (-pinene, myrcene, terpinene, thymol,
camphor and trans-isocarveol). Ascaridole (1,4-peroxido-p-menth-2-ene) is rather an uncommon
constituent of spices; another plant owing much of its character to this monoterpene peroxide is boldo.
Ascaridole is toxic and has a pungent, not very pleasant flavor; in pure form, it is an explosive sensitive to
shock. Allegedly, ascaridole content is lower in epazote from Mexico than in epazote grown in Europe or
Asia.
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Fat hen (Chenopodium album)
Chenopodium album
Chenopodium album is a fast-growing weedy annual plant in the genus Chenopodium.
Though cultivated in some regions, the plant is elsewhere considered a weed. Common names include
lamb's quarters, goosefoot and fat-hen, though the latter two are also applied to other species of the genus
Chenopodium, for which reason it is often distinguished as white goosefoot. It is sometimes also
calledpigweed, although that name is often also used for Amaranthus albus. Ambiguously, the name "fat-
hen" or "fat hen" is also used for smearwort (Aristolochia rotunda).
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Chenopodium album is extensively cultivated and consumed in Northern India as a food crop, and in
English texts it may be called by its Hindi name bathua orbathuwa ).
It tends to grow upright at first, reaching heights of 10150 cm (rarely to 3 m), but typically becomes
recumbent after flowering (due to the weight of the foliage and seeds) unless supported by other plants.
The leaves are alternate and can be varied in appearance. The first leaves, near the base of the plant, are
toothed and roughly diamond-shaped, 37 cm long and 36 cm broad. The leaves on the upper part of the
flowering stems are entire and lanceolate-rhomboid, 15 cm long and 0.42 cm broad; they are waxy-
coated, unwettable and mealy in appearance, with a whitish coat on the underside. The small flowers are
radially symmetrical and grow in small cymes on a dense branched inflorescence 1040 cm long.
The leaves and young shoots may be eaten as a leaf vegetable, either steamed in its entirety, or cooked
like spinach, but should be eaten in moderation due to high levels of oxalic acid. Each plant produces tens
of thousands of black seeds. These are high in protein, vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.
Quinoa is a closely related species which is grown specifically for its seeds. It is also used as a medicinal
plant in traditional African medicine.
Archaeologists analysing carbonized plant remains found in storage pits and ovens at Iron Age and Roman
sites in Europe have found its seeds mixed with conventional grains and even inside the stomachs of
Danish bog bodies.
In India the leaves and young shoots of this plant are used in dishes such as Sarson Da Saag, soups,
curries and in Paratha stuffed breads, especially popular in Punjab. The seeds or grains are used in
phambra or laafi, gruel type dishes in Himachal Pradesh, and in mildly alcoholic fermented beverages such
as soora and ghanti.
Fiddlehead (Pteridium aquilinum, Athyrium esculentum)
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Fiddlehead greens
Fiddleheads or Fiddlehead greens are the furled fronds of a young fern, harvested for use as a vegetable.
Left on the plant, each fiddlehead would unroll into a new frond (circinate vernation). As fiddleheads are
harvested early in the black season before the frond has opened and reached its full height, they are cut
fairly close to the ground.
Fiddleheads have antioxidant activity, are a source of Omega 3 and Omega 6, and are high in iron and
fibre.
The fiddlehead resembles the curled ornamentation (called a scroll) on the end of a stringed instrument,
such as a violin. It is also called a crozier, after the curved staff used by bishops, which has its origins in the
shepherd's crook.
The fiddleheads of certain ferns are eaten as a cooked leaf vegetable. The most popular of these are:
Bracken, Pteridium aquilinum, found worldwide
Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, found in northern regions worldwide, and the central/eastern part
of North America
Cinnamon fern or buckhorn fern, Osmunda cinnamomea, found in the Eastern parts of North America
Royal fern, Osmunda regalis, found worldwide
Zenmai or flowering fern, Osmunda japonica, found in East Asia
Vegetable fern, Athyrium esculentum, found throughout Asia and Oceania
Fiddleheads have been part of traditional diets in much of Northern France since the beginning of the
middle ages, Asia as well as among Native Americans for centuries.
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Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis)
Telfairia occidentalis is a tropical vine grown in West Africa as a leaf vegetable and for its edible seeds.
Common names for the plant include Fluted gourd, Fluted pumpkin, andUgu.
The plant is a drought-tolerant, dioecious perennial that is usually grown trellised.
The young shoots and leaves of the female plant are the main ingredients of a Nigerian soup,edikang
ikong.
The large (up to 5 cm), dark-red seed is rich in fat and protein, and can be eaten whole, ground into
powder for another kind of soup, or made into a fermented porridge.
The fruit of the plant is large, weighing up to 13 kg, but inedible.
Golden samphire (Inula crithmoides)
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Golden samphire
Golden samphire (Inula crithmoides) is a perennial coastal species, which may be found growing on salt
marsh or sea cliffs across Eurasia.
Golden samphire has a tufted habit, and the plant may grow up to 1 m tall. It has narrow fleshy leaves and
large flower heads, with six yellow petals which may be up to 15 cm across. The flowers are hermaphrodite
(self-fertile) and may also be pollinated by bees, flies and beetles.
Young leaves may be eaten raw or cooked as a leaf vegetable.
Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henricus)
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Good King Henry
Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henricus), also called Poor-man's Asparagus,Perennial Goosefoot,
Lincolnshire Spinach or Markery is a species of goosefoot which is native to much of central and southern
Europe.
Good King Henry has been grown as a vegetable in cottage gardens for hundreds of years, although this
dual-purpose vegetable is now rarely grown and the species is more often considered a weed.
It is an annual or perennial plant growing up to 400800 mm tall. The leaves are 50-100 mm long and
broad, triangular to diamond-shaped, with a pair of broad pointed lobes near the base, with a slightly waxy,
succulent texture. The flowers are produced in a tall, nearly leafless spike 100300 mm long; each flower is
very small (35 mm diameter), green, with five sepals. The seeds are reddish-green, 23 mm diameter.
It should be planted in a fertile, sunny spot which is free from perennial weeds. Seeds should be sown in
April in drills 1 cm deep and 50 cm apart. The seedlings should then be thinned to 1020 cm. The plants
should be regularly weeded and well watered. Typically, very little is produced in the first season. Good
King Henry does not respond well to transplantation.
The foliage can be cut in autumn, and a mulch, such as leaf mould or well-rotted compost applied to the
plot.
Cropping can begin in spring. Some of the new shoots can be cut as they appear (usually from mid spring
to early summer) and cooked like asparagus. All cutting should then cease so that shoots are allowed to
develop. The succulent triangular leaves may be harvested a few at a time until the end of August and
cooked like spinach.
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Greater Plantain (Plantago major)
Plantago major
Plantago major is a species of Plantago, family Plantaginaceae. The plant is native to most of Europe and
northern and central Asia. It is widely naturalised elsewhere in the world, where it is a common weed. As a
result, it has many common names. The standard native English name is Greater Plantain, though it is also
called Common Plantainin some areas where it is introduced, particularly North America. Another one of its
common names was "Soldier's Herb" for its use on the battlefield as a field dressing.
It is a herbaceous perennial plant with a rosette of leaves 15-30 cm diameter. Each leaf is oval, 5-20 cm
long and 4-9 cm broad, rarely up to 30 cm long and 17 cm broad, with an acute apex and a smooth margin;
there are five to nine conspicuous veins. The flowers are small, greenish-brown with purple stamens,
produced in a dense spike 5-15 cm long on top of a stem 13-15 cm tall (rarely to 70 cm tall).
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There are three subspecies:
Plantago major subsp. major.
Plantago major subsp. intermedia
Plantago major subsp. winteri
It grows better than most other plants in compacted soils, and is abundant beside paths, roadsides, and
other areas with frequent soil compaction. It is also common in grasslands and as a weed in crops. It is
wind-pollinated, and propagates primarily by seeds, which are held on the long, narrow spikes which rise
well above the foliage.
The seeds of this plant are a common contaminant in cereal grain and other crop seeds, and as a result
the species now has a worldwide distribution as a naturalised (and often invasive) weed. It is believed to be
one of the first plants to reach North America after European colonisation. Native Americans called the plant
"white man's footprint" or "Englishman's foot" because it appeared wherever white men went.
The leaves are edible and used in herbal medicine, but can be somewhat tough. The taste is that of very
bitter salad greens with a lingering aftertaste not unlike spinach. Younger leaves are recommended as they
are more tender. The leaves when dried can be made into a tisane. The sinews from the broadleaf plantain
are very pliable and tough when fresh and/or wettened, and can be used to make small cords or braiding.
When dry the sinews harden but also become more brittle[citation needed].
Historical uses as a wound healer and snakebite remedy have been found to have scientific merit. Plantago
major contains the cell proliferant allantoin, and is used as a replacement for hepatotoxic Comfrey in herbal
preparations (commercial product Solaray Comfree). It also contains aucubin. Traditionally used to prevent
uterine bleeding after childbirth (made into a tea and inserted via a douche), it was also used to treat a
variety of other ailments. There is a contraindication that seems to be missing from most of the current
literature, however. It is a potent coagulant. This can be tested easily by taking some water-based paint,
making some plantain tea and mixing the two together. The paint particles will immediately permanently
separate from the water. Because of this unique quality, plantain was used as a wound dressing on the
battlefield (it was also called "Soldier's Herb" which referred to this use). Due to these properties, people
who take blood thinners or those prone to blood clots should never use plantain internally. It is also
reputed to have a calming effect on insect bites (flea, mosquito, horsefly, wasp).
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Kai-lan (Brassica rapa Alboglabra group)
Kai-lan, also known as Chinese broccoli, is a leaf vegetable featuring thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves
with thick stems and a small number of tiny, almost vestigial flower heads similar to those of broccoli.
Broccoli and kai-lan belong to the same species Brassica oleracea, but kai-lan is in the group alboglabra
[Latin albus+glabrus white and hairless]. Its flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, but a bit bitter. Broccolini
is a hybrid between broccoli and kai-lan, produced by Mann Packing Company, Inc.
Kai-lan is eaten widely in Chinese cuisine, and especially in Cantonese cuisine. Common preparations
include kai-lan stir-fried with ginger and garlic, and boiled or steamed and served with oyster sauce. It is
also common in Vietnamese cuisine, Myanmar and Thai cuisine.
Kale (Brassica oleracea Acephala group)
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Kale or borecole
Kale or borecole is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), green or purple, in which the
central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated
forms. The species Brassica oleracea contains a wide array of vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower,
collard greens, and brussels sprouts. The cultivar group Acephala also includes spring greens and collard
greens, which are extremely similar genetically.
Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium.
Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or
minced). Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not
result in significant loss. Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a
chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Kale is also a
good source of carotenoids.
Kales can be classified by leaf type:
Curly leaved (Scots Kale)
Plain leaved
Rape Kale
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Leaf and spear (a cross between curly leaved and plain leaved Kale)
Cavolo nero (also known as black cabbage, Tuscan Cabbage, Tuscan Kale, Lacinato and dinosaur Kale)
Because Kale can grow well into winter, one variety of Rape Kale is called 'Hungry Gap', named after the
period in winter in traditional agriculture when little could be harvested.
Kale freezes well and actually tastes sweeter and more flavourful after being exposed to a frost.
Tender kale greens can provide an intense addition to salads, particularly when combined with other such
strongly flavoured ingredients as dry-roasted peanuts, tamari-roasted almonds, red pepper flakes, or an
Asian-style dressing.
In the Netherlands it is very frequently used in the winter dish stamp pot and seen as one of the country's
traditional dishes, called boerenkool.
In Ireland kale is mixed with mashed potatoes to make the traditional dish colcannon. It is popular on
Halloween when it is sometimes served with sausages. Small coins are sometimes hidden inside as prizes.
Kale is a very popular vegetable in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, where it commonly stir-fried with beef.
Many varieties of kale are referred to as "flowering kales" and are grown mainly for their ornamental leaves,
which are brilliant white, red, pink, lavender, blue or violet in the interior or the rosette. Most plants sold as
"ornamental cabbage" are in fact kales. Ornamental kale is as edible as any other variety, provided it has
not been treated with pesticides or other harmful chemicals.
When uncooked, standard Kale is a popular garnish.
Komatsuna (Brassica rapa Pervidis or Komatsuna group)
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Komatsuna
Komatsuna (Brassica rapa var. perviridis or komatsuna) is a type of leaf vegetable. It is a variant of the
same species as the common turnip. It is grown commercially in Japan, Taiwan and Korea; the name is from
Japanese komatsuna. It is also known as Japanese Mustard Spinach and is usually stir-fried, pickled, boiled
and added to soups or used fresh in salads. It is an excellent source of calcium. It is also used for fodder in
some Asian countries. The leaves of komatsuna may be eaten at any stage of their growth. In a mature
plant they are dark green with slender light green stalks, around 30 cm long and 18 cm wide. It is most often
grown in the spring and autumn, as it cannot endure extreme heat or cold for more than a short time.
Kuka (Adansonia spp.)
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Adansonia
Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and
the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but
it is not a native of that island.
A typical common name is baobab. Other common names include boab, boaboa, bottle tree, upside-down
tree, and monkey bread tree. The generic name honours Michel Adanson, the French naturalist and
explorer who described A. digitata.
Adansonias reach heights of 5 to 30 metres (16 to 98 ft) and have trunk diameters of 7 to 11 metres (23 to
36 ft). Glencoe Baobab - an African Baobab specimen in Limpopo Province, South Africa, often considered
the largest example alive, up to recent times had a circumference of 47 metres (154 ft). Its diameter is
estimated at about 15.9 metres (52 ft). Recently the tree split up into two parts and it is possible that the
stoutest tree now is Sunland Baobab, also in South Africa. Diameter of this tree is 10.64 m, approximate
circumference - 33.4 metres.
Some baobabs are reputed to be many thousands of years old, which is difficult to verify as the wood does
not produce annual growth rings, though radiocarbon dating may be able to provide age data.
The leaves are commonly used as a leaf vegetable throughout the area of mainland African distribution,
including Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Sahel. They are eaten both fresh and as a dry powder.
The fruit is nutritious, possibly having more vitamin C than oranges, and exceeding the calcium content of
cow's milk. The dry fruit pulp separated from seeds and fibers is eaten directly or mixed into porridge or
milk, and is also known as "sour gourd" or "monkey's bread". In Malawi, the fruit pulp is used to make a
nutrient-rich juice. In Zimbabwe, the fruit is known as mawuyu in the Shona language and has long been a
traditional fruit.
The fruit can be used to produce cream of tartar. In various parts of East Africa, the dry fruit pulp is covered
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in sugary coating (usually with red coloring) and sold in packages as a sweet and sour candy called
"umbuyu".
The seeds are mostly used as a thickener for soups, but may also be fermented into a seasoning, roasted
for direct consumption, or pounded to extract vegetable oil. The tree also provides a source of fiber, dye,
and fuel.
The dry pulp is either eaten fresh or used to add to gruels on cooling after cooking a good way of
preserving the vitamin contents. It can also be ground to make a refreshing drink with a pleasing wine-gum
flavour. In Tanzania, it is added to aid fermentation of sugar cane for beer making.
Pulp can be stored for fairly long periods for use in soft drink production, but it needs airtight containers.
Storage is improved by the use of sodium metabisulphite (Ibiyemi et al., 1988). It can also be frozen if
ground to a powder.
Lagos bologi (Talinum fruticosum)
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Talinum f ruticosum
Talinum fruticosum is an herbaceous perennial plant that is native to Mexico, the Caribbean,Central
America, and much of South America. Common names include waterleaf, cariru,Surinam purslane,
Philippine spinach, Ceylon spinach, Florida spinach, potherb fameflower, Lagos bologi, and sweetheart. It is
widely grown in tropical regions as a leaf vegetable.
The plant grows erect, reaching a height of 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in). It bears small, pink flowers and
broad, fleshy leaves.
As a leaf vegetable, T. fruticosum is rich in vitamins, including vitamins A and C, and minerals such as iron
and calcium. Because it is high in oxalic acid, consumption should be avoided or limited by those suffering
from kidney disorders, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is cultivated inWest Africa, South Asia, Southeast
Asia, and the warmer parts of North and South America. Along with Celosia species, T. fruticosum is one of
the most import leaf vegetables of Nigeria. In Brazil it is grown along the banks of the Amazon River, and is
consumed mainly in the states of Par and Amazonas.
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Land cress (Barbarea verna)
Land cress (Barbarea verna)
Land cress (Barbarea verna), also known as American cress, bank cress, black wood cress,Belle Isle cress,
Bermuda cress, early yellowrocket, early wintercress, scurvy cress, andupland cress, is a biennial herb in
the family Brassicaceae. It is native to southwestern Europe, but is also cultivated in Florida. As it requires
less water than watercress, it is easier to cultivate. Land cress has been cultivated as a leaf vegetable in
England since the 17th century.
Land cress is considered a satisfactory substitute for watercress. It can be used in sandwiches, or salads,
or cooked like spinach, or used in soup.
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Land cress can be grown easily in any garden. Like watercress, it loves water, but does not do well when
partially submerged for long periods of time. This perennial needs full sun and frequent watering in any
garden, unless near a direct source of water.
Synonyms include Barbarea praecox and Lepidum nativum. Other common names include dryland cress,
cassabully, and American watercress. A variegated form is available.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
Lettuce
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a temperate annual or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most
often grown as a leaf vegetable. It is eaten either raw, notably in salads, sandwiches,hamburgers, tacos,
and many other dishes, or cooked, as in Chinese cuisine in which the stem becomes just as important as
the leaf. Both the English name and the Latin name of the genus are ultimately derived from lac, the Latin
word for milk, referring to the plants milky juice. Mild in flavour, it has been described over the centuries
as a cooling counterbalance to other ingredients in a salad.
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The lettuce plant has a very short stem initially (a rosette growth habit), but when it gradually blooms, the
stem and branches lengthen and produce many flower heads that look like those of dandelions, but
smaller. This is referred to as bolting. When grown to eat, lettuce is harvested before it bolts.
Lettuce is grown commercially worldwide.
Lettuce plants should be grown in a light, sandy, fertile, humus-rich soil that will hold moisture in summer. A
soil pH of 6.5 is preferred; lime may be added for this purpose. For best eating quality, water is essential;
the plants prefer the soil to be moist at all times.
Lettuce plants prefer cool weather, ideally with day temperatures below 75 degrees Fahrenheit and night
temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot, sunny, or dry conditions may cause the plants to turn
bitter and produce a flower shoot, a process known as bolting. Therefore, lettuce is often grown in the
coolness of spring and autumn in the Northern Hemisphere; lettuce sown in summer is often grown in light
shade. In addition, bolt-resistant summer cultivars of lettuce may be recommended as temperatures
increase.
Lettuce can be direct sown in the garden, but lettuce plants are often started in cold frames or
greenhouses, and the resulting seedlings transplanted to the garden or field. This allows an earlier start, or
allows more efficient use of garden space, as the lettuce can be transplanted when growing rapidly,
avoiding the use of garden space for germination of seeds.
As another way to allow an earlier crop in cold weather, lettuce is sometimes given glass protection, known
as a cloche, or protected with spun material known as a floating row cover. In sufficiently mild-weather
climates, these same protective devices (greenhouses, cold frames, cloches, row cover) may be used to
protect lettuce throughout the winter, allowing harvest even in near-freezing or freezing weather.
Lettuce is often grown between rows of slower growing plants like brussel sprouts or broccoli. This is called
a catch crop. It allows more efficient use of garden space, and also provides the lettuce with needed shade
in warm weather.
There are six commonly recognised Cultivar Groups of lettuce which are ordered here by head formation
and leaf structure; there are hundreds of cultivars of lettuce selected for leaf shape and colour, as well as
extended field and shelf life, within each of these Cultivar Groups:
Butterhead (L. sativa var. capitata) forms loose heads. Its leaves have a buttery texture. Butterhead
cultivars are most popular in Europe. Popular varieties include Boston, Bibb,Buttercrunch, and Tom Thumb.
Chinese lettuce (L. sativa var. asparagina)types generally have long, sword-shaped, non-head-forming
leaves, with a bitter and robust flavour unlike Western types, for use in stir-frieddishes and stews. Chinese
lettuce cultivars are divided into stem-use types (called celtuce in English), and leaf-use types such
asyoumaicai or shengcai , respectively.
Crisphead, also called Iceberg, forms tight, dense heads that resemble cabbage. They are generally the
mildest of the lettuces, valued more for their crunchy texture than for flavour. Cultivars of iceberg lettuce
are the most familiar lettuces in the USA.
Looseleaf (L. sativa var. crispa) has tender, delicate, and mildly flavoured leaves. This group includes oak
leaf and lollo rosso lettuces.
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Romaine (L. sativa var. romana), also called Cos, grows in a long head of sturdy leaves with a firm rib
down the center. Unlike most lettuces, it is tolerant of heat.
Summer Crisp, also called Batavian, forms moderately dense heads with a crunchy texture. This type is
intermediate between iceberg and looseleaf types.
Some lettuces (especially iceberg) have been specifically bred to remove the bitterness from their leaves.
These lettuces have high water content and so are less "nutritionally dense" than are the more bitter
lettuces and those with darker leaves. While all lettuces contain antioxidants and vitamin K, romaine and
looseleaf lettuce contain five to six times the vitamin C and five to ten times the vitamin A of iceberg.
Romaine and butterhead lettuce are good sources of folate. Lettuce naturally absorbs and concentrates
lithium.
Lettuce is a low calorie food and is a source of vitamin A and folic acid. Lactucarium (or Lettuce Opium) is
a mild opiate-like substance that is contained in all types of lettuce.
Lizard's tail (Houttuynia cordata)
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Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata , In English, it is known as Lizard tail, chameleon plant, heartleaf, fishwort and Bishop's
weed. It is one of two species in the genus Houttuynia, is a flowering plant native to Japan, Korea, southern
China and Southeast Asia, where it grows in moist, shady places.
Houttuynia cordata is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to between 20 and 80 cm. The proximal part of
the stem is trailing and produces adventitious roots, while the distal part of the stem grows vertically. The
leaves are alternate, broadly heart-shaped, 49 cm long and 38 cm broad. Flowers, growing usually in
Summer, are greenish-yellow, borne on a terminal spike 23 cm long with 4-6 large white basal bracts.
Grown as a leaf vegetable, particularly in Vietnam, where it is called gip c or dip c and is used as a
fresh herbal garnish. The leaf has an unusual taste that is often described as fishy (earning it the nickname
"fish mint"), so it is not enjoyed as universally as basil, mint, or other more commonly used herbs.
In the southwestern Chinese provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, roots are used as a root
vegetable. English names include heartleaf, lizardtail, and fishwort.
Grown as a leaf vegetable, particularly in Vietnam, where it is called gip c or dip c and is used as a
fresh herbal garnish. The leaf has an unusual taste that is often described as fishy (earning it the nickname
"fish mint"), so it is not enjoyed as universally as basil, mint, or other more commonly used herbs.
In the southwestern Chinese provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, roots are used as a root
vegetable. English names include heartleaf, lizardtail, and fishwort.
Houttuynia cordata is also used in used in folk medicine for diuresis and detoxification and herbal
medicinefor its antiviral, antibacterial and antileukemic activities. Recently it has been suggested that it
might have anti-obesity properties. Houttuynia cordata was used by Chinese scientists to tackle SARS as it
is conventionally used to treat pneumonia.
H. cordata Injection, a traditional Chinese medicine, is often used to relieve abnormal lung symptoms,
infectious disease, refractory hemoptysis and malignant pleural effusion in China. H. cordata Injection has a
direct inhibitory activity against Pseudorabies herpes virus in vitro. Vap Ca is a very popular tonic herb in
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Japan and is used as a tonic tea, but also for chronic earache. The beverage dokudami cha(Japanese;
literally "Houttuynia cordata tea") is an infusion made from the leaves, Oolong tea leaves, and Job's Tears
Melokhia (Corchorus olitorius, Corchorus capsularis)
Corchorus is a genus of about 40-100 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical
and subtropical regions throughout the world. Different common names are used in different contexts, with
jute applying to the fibre produced from the plant, and Mallow-Leaves Mulukhiyah applied to the leaves
used as a vegetable. The leaves of the Corchorus plant have been a staple Egyptian food since the time of
the Pharaohs and it is from there that it gains its recognition and popularity. Varieties of Mallow-leaves stew
with rice is a well known Middle-eastern cuisine.
The plants are tall, usually annual herbs, reaching a height of 2-4 m, unbranched or with only a few side
branches. The leaves are alternate, simple, lanceolate, 5-15 cm long, with an acuminate tip and a finely
serrated or lobed margin. The flowers are small (2-3 cm diameter) and yellow, with five petals; the fruit is a
many-seeded capsule. It thrives almost anywhere, and can be grown year-round.
The genus Oceanopapaver, previously of uncertain placement, has recently been synonymized under
Corchorus. The name was established by Guillaumin in 1932 for the single speciesOceanopapaver
neocaledonicum Guillaumin from New Caledonia. The genus has been classified in a number of different
families including Capparaceae, Cistaceae, Papaveraceae, and Tiliaceae. The putative family name
"Oceanopapaveraceae" has occasionally appeared in print and on the web but is a nomen nudum and has
never been validly published nor recognised by any system of plant taxonomy.
The plants of Corchorus genus satisfy the world with great amounts of fiber needs. The fibers from these
plants are the most widely cultivated vegetable fiber after cotton.
Young malukhiyah leaves are used as a green leaf vegetable; Corchorus olitorius is used mainly in
southern Asia, Egypt and Cyprus, Corchorus capsularisin Japan and China. It has a mucilaginous
(somewhat "slimy") texture, similar to okra, when cooked. The seeds are used as a flavouring, and a herbal
tea is made from the dried leaves. Malukhiyah is eaten widely in Egypt and some consider it the Egyptian
national dish. It is featured in cuisines from Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Tunisia.
In Nigerian cuisine, especially amongst the Yorubas, it is commonly used in a stew known as ewedu, a
condiment to other starch-based foods such as amala.
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In India especially in Sambalpur and Western part of Orissa it is a favorite food during the summer months.
Locally it is known as "Nalta Sag". Usually it is lightly sauteed and eaten along with Rice and Water Rice.
In rural villages of the near east many families grow their own Mallow Leaves. It constitutes a significant
constituent of their diet, thickening dishes and contributing vitamins, especially A. Here is a picture of the
plant taken in Bi"lim:
The leaves are rich in betacarotene, iron, calcium, and Vitamin C. The plant has an antioxidant activity with
a significant -tocopherol equivalent Vitamin E.
Miner's Lettuce/Winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata)
Claytonia perf oliata
Claytonia perfoliata (Miner's lettuce, Winter Purslane, Spring Beauty, or Indian lettuce; syn.Montia
perfoliata) is a fleshy annual plant native to the western mountain and coastal regions ofNorth America from
southernmost Alaska and central British Columbia south to Central America, but most common in California
in the Sacramento and northern San Joaquin valleys
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Claytonia perfoliata is a trailing plant, growing to a maximum of 40 cm in length, but mature plants can be as
small as 1 cm. The cotyledons are usually bright green (rarely purplish or brownish-green), succulent, long
and narrow. The first true leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant, and are 0.5-4 cm long, with an
often long petiole (exceptionally up to 20 cm long).
The small pink or white flowers have five petals 2-6 mm long; they appear from February to May or June,
and are grouped 5-40 together above a pair of leaves that are united together around the stem to appear
as one circular leaf. Mature plants have numerous erect to spreading stems that branch from the base.
It is common in the spring, and it prefers cool, damp conditions. It first appears in sunlit areas after the first
heavy rains. Though, the best stands are found in shaded areas, especially in the uplands, into the early
summer. As the days get hotter, the leaves turn a deep red color as they dry out.
There are three ill-defined geographical subspecies:
Claytonia perfoliata subsp. perfoliata: Pacific coastal United States and southwest Canada
Claytonia perfoliata subsp. intermontana: interior western United States
Claytonia perfoliata subsp. mexicana: coastal southern California and Arizona south through Mexico to
Guatemala
Claytonia perfoliata subsp. utahensis: recognised as local subspecies in Utah.
The common name Miner's lettuce refers its use by California Gold Rush miners who ate it to get their
vitamin C to prevent scurvy. It can be eaten as a leaf vegetable. Most commonly it is eaten raw in salads,
but it is not quite as delicate as other lettuce. Sometimes it is boiled like spinach, which it resembles in taste.
Mizuna greens (Brassica rapa Nipposinica group)
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Mizuna
Mizuna (Japanese: 'water greens'), also called Xiu Cai, Kyona, Japanese Mustard, Potherb Mustard,
Japanese Greens, California Peppergrass, Spider Mustard, etc., is a Japanese name used primarily for
cultivated varieties of Brassica rapa nipposinica but also for Brassica juncea var. japonica.
The taste of mizuna has been described as a "piquant, mild peppery flavor...slightly spicy, but less so than
arugula." It is also used in stir-fries, soups, and nabemono.
In addition to the term "mizuna" (and its alternates) being applied to at least two different species of
Brassica, horticulturalists have defined and named a number of varieties. For example, a resource provided
by Cornell University and the United States Department of Agriculture lists sixteen varieties including "Early
Mizuna", "Kyona Mizuna", "Komatsuna Mizuna", "Vitamin Green Mizuna", "Kyoto Mizuna", "Happy Rich
Mizuna", "Summer Fest Mizuna", "Tokyo Early Mizuna", "Mibuna Mizuna", "Red Komatsuna Mizuna", "Waido
Mizuna" and "Purple Mizuna".
Mizuna has been cultivated in Japan since ancient times, but most likely originated in China.
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Mustard (Sinapis alba)
Sinapis is a genus of plants in the family Brassicaceae. One of the species in this genus is White mustard
(S. alba). Black mustard is sometimes placed in this genus as well, but is more often placed in the related
genus Brassica. The leaves are used extensively in some cultures' cooking, including in North Indian
cuisine.
It is also one of the varieties of "horta" or greens known as "Vrouves" in Greek cuisine, boiled and served
with olive oil and lemon.
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New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides)
Tetragonia
Tetragonia is a genus of 50-60 species of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to temperate and
subtropical regions mostly of the Southern Hemisphere, in New Zealand, Australia, southern Africa and
South America. The best known species of Tetragonia is the leafy vegetable food crop, Tetragonia
tetragonioides, or New Zealand spinach.
Plants of the Tetragonia genus are herbs or small shrubs. Leaves are alternate and succulent, with flowers
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typically yellow and small . Fruit are initially succulent but become dry and woody with age.
New Zealand spinach is widely cultivated as a summer leafy vegetable.
Orache (Atriplex hortensis)
Atriplex
Atriplex is a plant genus of 100-200 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache (or
orach). The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. It includes many desert and seashore plants and
halophytes, as well as plants of moist environments. The goosefoot subfamily (Chenopodioideae) of the
Amaranthaceae, in which the genus Atriplex is placed in the APG II system, was formerly considered a
distinct family(Chenopodiaceae).
The generic name originated in Latin and was applied by Pliny the Elder to the edible oraches.
Saltbushes are extremely tolerant of salt content in the ground: their name derives from the fact that they
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retain salt in their leaves, which makes them of great use in areas affected by soil salination.
Atriplex species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species; see the list of
Lepidoptera which feed on Atriplex. For spiders such as Phidippus californicus and other arthropods,
saltbush plants offer opportunities to hide and hunt in habitat that is otherwise often quite barren.
Many species are edible. However, the favored species for human consumption is Garden Orache (A.
hortensis). Use of Atriplex as food is known since at least the late Epipaleolithic (Mesolithic). The Erteblle
culture presumably used Common Orache (A. patula) as a vegetable (A. patula is attested as an
archaeophyte in northern Europe). In the biblical Book of Job, malla ( , probably Mediterranean
Saltbush, A. halimus, the major culinary saltbush in the region) is mentioned as food eaten by social
outcasts. Grey Saltbush (A. cinerea) is used as bushfood in Australia since prehistoric times. Chamiso (A.
canescens) and Shadscale (A. confertifolia) were eaten by Native Americans, and Spearscale (A. hastata)
was a food in rural Eurasia.
The Garden Orache (A. hortensis), also called Red Orach, Mountain Spinach, or French Spinach, is an
annual leaf vegetable with a salty, spinach-like taste.
Paracress (Acmella oleracea)
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Acmella oleracea, also known under its old names Spilanthes oleracea and Spilanthes acmellaand
commonly referred to as Spilanthes Extract, is a flowering herb in the plant family Asteraceae, also known
as toothache plant or paracress as the leaves and flower heads contain an analgesic agent spilanthol used
to numb toothache. It is native to the tropics of Brazil, and is grown as an ornamental (and occasionally as a
medicinal) in various parts of the world. A small, erect plant, it grows quickly and sends up gold and red
flower inflorescences. It is frost-sensitive but perennial in warmer climates.
For culinary purposes, small amounts of shredded fresh leaves add a unique flavour to salads. Cooked
leaves lose their strong flavour and may be used as leafy greens. Both fresh and cooked leaves are used
in dishes (such as stews) in Northern parts of Brazil, especially in the state of Par, often combined with
chillies and garlic to add flavor and vitamins to other foods. A related species is used in several Southeast
Asian dishes, such as salads.
Eating a whole flower bud results in a grassy taste, followed by an extremely strong tingling or numbing
sensation and often excessive saliva production and a cooling sensation in the throat. These buds are
known as Buzz Buttons, Szechuan buttons, sansho buttons, and electric buttons. In India, the buds are
used as flavoring in chewing tobacco.
The leaves of this plant is used by Bodo-tribals of Bodoland, Assam (India) in preparing a spicy chicken
soup, mixed with other common spices. Bodos believe that this soup provides relief from cold and cough.
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Pea sprouts/leaves (Pisum sativum)
Pea sprouts/leaves
Pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the pod fruit Pisum sativum. Each pod
contains several peas. Peapods are botanically a fruit, since they contain seeds developed from the ovary
of a (pea) flower. However, peas are considered to be a vegetable in cooking. The name is also used to
describe other edible seeds from the Fabaceae such as the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), the cowpea
(Vigna unguiculata), and the seeds from several species of Lathyrus.
P. sativum is an annual plant, with a life cycle of one year. It is a cool season crop grown in many parts of
the world; planting can take place from winter to early summer depending on location. The average pea
weighs between 0.1 and 0.36 grams. The species is used as a vegetable, fresh, frozen or canned, and is
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also grown to produce dry peas like the split pea. These varieties are typically called field peas.
The pea is a green, pod-shaped vegetable, widely grown as a cool season vegetable crop. The seeds may
be planted as soon as the soil temperature reaches 10 C (50 F), with the plants growing best at
temperatures of 13 to 18 C (55 to 64 F). They do not thrive in the summer heat of warmer temperate and
lowland tropical climates but do grow well in cooler high altitude tropical areas. Many cultivars reach
maturity about 60 days after planting. Generally, peas are to be grown outdoors during the winter, not in
greenhouses. Peas grow best in slightly acidic, well-drained soils.
Peas have both low-growing and vining cultivars. The vining cultivars grow thin tendrils from leaves that coil
around any available support and can climb to be 12 m high. A traditional approach to supporting climbing
peas is to thrust branches pruned from trees or other woody plants upright into the soil, providing a lattice
for the peas to climb. Branches used in this fashion are sometimes called pea brush. Metal fences, twine, or
netting supported by a frame are used for the same purpose. In dense plantings, peas give each other
some measure of mutual support. Pea plants can self-pollinate.
Peas are high in fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and lutein. Dry weight is about one-quarter protein and
one-quarter sugar. Pea seed peptide fractions have less ability to scavenge free radicals than glutathione,
but greater ability to chelate metals and inhibit linoleic acidoxidation.
Polk (Phytolacca Americana)
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American Pokeweed
American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a large semi-succulent herbaceous perennial plant growing
up to 10 feet (3 meters) in height. It is native to eastern North America, the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast,
with more scattered populations in the far West. It is also known as American nightshade, cancer jalap,
coakum, garget, inkberry, pigeon berry, pocan bush, poke root,pokeweed, redweed, scoke, red ink plant
and chui xu shang lu (in Chinese medicine). Parts of this plant are highly toxic to livestock and humans, and
it is considered a major pest by farmers. Nonetheless, some parts can be used as food, medicine or poison.
The plant has a large white taproot, green or red stems, and large, simple leaves. White flowers are
followed by purple to almost black berries, which are a good food source for songbirds such as Gray
Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Brown Thrasher, and Northern Mockingbird.
Plant Type: Perennial herbaceous plant which can reach a height of 10 feet, but is usually four to six feet.
The stem is often red as the plant matures. Upright, erect central stem early in the season. Changes to a
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spreading, horizontal form later in the season with the weight of the berries. Plant dies back to roots each
winter. Stem has chambered pith.
Leaves: The leaves are alternate with coarse texture with moderate porosity. Leaves can reach nine inches
in length. Each leaf is entire. Leaves are medium green and smooth with what some characterize as an
unpleasant odor.
Flowers: The flowers have 5 regular parts with upright stamens and are up to 0.2 inches wide. They have
white petal-like sepals without true petals, on white pedicles and peduncles in an upright or drooping
raceme, which darken as the plant fruits. Blooms first appear in early summer and continue into early fall.
Fruit: A shiny dark purple berry held in racemous clusters on pink pedicels with a pink peduncle. Pedicles
without berries have a distinctive rounded five part calyx. Berries are pomes, round with a flat indented top
and bottom. Immature berries are green, turning white and then blackish purple.
Root: Thick central taproot which grows deep and spreads horizontally. Rapid growth. Tan cortex, white
pulp, moderate number of rootlets. Transversely cut root slices show concentric rings. No nitrogen fixation
ability.
Although the seeds are highly toxic, the berries are often cooked into a jelly or pie, and seeds are strained
out or pass through unless bitten. Cooking is believed to inactivate toxins in the berries by some and others
attribute toxicity to the seeds within the berries. The leaves of young plants are sometimes collected as a
spring green potherb and eaten after repeated blanchings. Shoots are also blanched with several changes
of water and eaten as a substitute for asparagus. They become cathartic as they advance to maturity. The
cooked greens are sold commercially in the South, but any food use of the plant is controversial because of
toxins in the plant.
Historically used for syphilis, diphtheria, conjunctivitis, cancer, adenitis and emesis or as a purgative.Used
topically for scabies. Heroic and toxic class herb which requires professional training.
Physiologically, phytolacca acts upon the skin, the glandular structures, especially those of the buccal
cavity, throat, sexual system, and very markedly upon the mammary glands. It further acts upon the fibrous
and serous tissues, and mucous membranes of the digestive and urinary tracts. Phytolacca is alterative,
anodyne, anti-inflammatory,antiviral, anti-cancer, expectorant, emetic, cathartic, narcotic,
hypnotic,insecticide and purgative.
Tincture of the Root: Alterative, for lymphatic disorders including breast lumps and skin conditions
(especially when accompanied by a poultice on the lesions.) Also for arthritis, rheumatism, conjunctivitis,
tonsillitis, infectious disease, edema, and cancer.
Root poultice: the root roasted in ashes and mashed is used as a poultice for breast abscesses. Also used
for rheumatic pains, and swellings.
Root wash: used for sprains or swellings.
Root infused oil: The freshly dried root can be steeped in oil for breast abscesses and is often used in
cancer protocols.
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Berries: eaten without biting into the toxic seeds for arthritis. One is taken the first day, two the second, up
to 7 and back down to one. The berries can also be soaked in water and the water drunk for rheumatism
and arthritis. Juice has been topically applied for cancer, hemorrhoids and tremors.
Leaves: Cathartic and purgative.
Ash from plant: Potassium rich, used in cancer salves.
Anti-inflammatory constituents include saponins in poke root and triterpenes in the berries: alpha
spinasterol, ascorbic acid, calcium oxalate, caryophylline, isoquercitin, jialigonic acid, and oleanolic acid.
Immune stimulant constituents include astragalin, ascorbic acid, beta carotene, phosphorus and oleanolic
acid.
Antiviral: PAP, oleanolic acid, ascorbic acid, tannin, mitogen.
In addition: Betanin and oleanolic acid are antiperoxidative and the vitamins plus caryophylline and
oleanolic acid are antioxidant. Astragalin, isoquercitin and caryophylline are aldose-reductase-inhibitors.
Radicchio (Cichorium intybus)
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Radicchio
Radicchio (pronounced rah-DEE-kee-oh) is a leaf chicory (Cichorium intybus, Asteraceae), sometimes
known as Italian chicory and is a perennial. It is grown as a leaf vegetable which usually has white-veined
red leaves. It has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted.
The varieties of radicchio are named after the Italian regions where they originate: the most ubiquitous
variety in the United States is radicchio di Chioggia, which is maroon, round, and about the size of a
grapefruit. Somewhat less common in the States is the radicchio di Treviso, which resembles a large
Belgian endive.
Other varieties include Tardivo, and the white-colored radicchio di Castelfranco, both of which resemble
flowers and are only available in the winter months, as well as Gorizia (also known as "cicoria zuccherina"),
Trieste (biondissima) and Witloof/Bruxelles (also known as Belgian lettuce). Radicchio farmers of the
Veneto have sought to have Protected Geographical Status applied to the names of some radicchio
varieties, including Tardivo.
In Italy, where the vegetable is quite popular, it is usually eaten grilled in olive oil, or mixed into dishes such
as risotto: in the United States it is gaining in popularity but is more often eaten raw in salads. As with all
chicories, if grown correctly its roots can be used to mix with coffee. It can also be served with pasta, in
strudel, as a poultry stuffing, or as part of a tapenade.
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Samphire/Sea beet (Crithmum maritimum)
Beta vulgaris
Sea beet, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima, is a member of the family Chenopodiaceae. Linnaeus first
described Beta vulgaris in 1753; in the second edition of Species Plantarum in 1762 he divided the species
into wild and cultivated varieties, giving the name Beta maritima to the wide taxon.
The sea beet is native to the coasts of Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia. It also lives in the wild
along some shores in Great Britain.
The sea beet is the wild ancestor of common vegetables such as beetroot, sugar beet, and Swiss chard.
Its leaves have a pleasant texture and taste when served raw or cooked, and because of this it is also
known as wild spinach.
It is a perennial plant which grows up to 1.2 m, and flowers in the summer. Its flowers are hermaphroditic,
and wind-pollinated. It requires moist, well-drained soils, and does not tolerate shade. However, it is able to
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tolerate relatively high levels of sodium in its environment because its leaves are waxy and can endure the
salty breeze.
Sea kale (Crambe maritima)
Crambe maritima
Crambe maritima (common name Sea kale) is a halophytic perennial plant in the genus Crambe that grows
wild along the coasts of Europe, from the North Atlantic to the Black Sea. It has large fleshy glaucous
collard-like leaves and abundant white flowers. The seeds come one each in globular pods.
The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental but its most common use is as a blanched vegetable.
Along the coast of England, where it is commonly found above High Tide Mark on shingle beaches, local
people heaped loose shingle around the naturally occurring root crowns in springtime, thus blanching the
emerging shoots. By the early 18th Century it had become established as a garden vegetable, but its
height of popularity was the early 19th Century when sea kale appeared in Thomas Jefferson's Garden
Book of 1809, and it was served at the Prince Regent's Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The shoots are served
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like asparagus: steamed, with either a bechamel sauce or melted butter, salt and pepper. It is apt to get
bruised or damaged in transport and should be eaten very soon after cutting, this may explain its
subsequent decline in popularity. However, given a rich, deep and sandy soil, it is easy to propagate and
grow on from root cuttings available from specialist nurseries. Blanching may be achieved by covering it
with opaque material or using a deep, loose and dry mulch.
Sea kale is more commonly used in Europe and only rarely grown in the United States.
Sierra Leone bologi (Crassocephalum spp.)
Crassocephalum biaf rae
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Crassocephalum biafrae, also called Sierra Leone bologi or worow, is a shade tolerant perennial vine grown
especially in Sierra Leone, often on trellises. Its spinach-like leaves are often eaten steamed.
Crassocephalum rubens, also called Yoruban bologi, is an erect annual herb growing up to 80 cm tall. It is
grown and consumed especially in Southwestern Nigeria, but also as far away as Yemen, South Africa, and
islands of the Indian Ocean. Its mucilaginous leaves are used as a dry or fresh vegetable in a variety of
dishes, and as medicine for several different ailments.
Crassocephalum crepidioides, also called ebolo, thickhead,redflower ragleaf, or fireweed, is an erect
annual slightly succulent herb growing up to 180 cm tall. Its use is widespread in many tropical and
subtropical regions, but is especially prominent in tropical Africa. Its fleshy, mucilaginous leaves and stems
are eaten as a vegetable, and many parts of the plant have medical uses. However, the safety of internal
use needs further research due to the presence of plant toxins.
C. crepidioides contains the hepatotoxic and tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloid, jacobine.
]
Soko (Celosia Argentea)
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Celosia
Celosia is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The
generic name is derived from the Greek word (kelos), meaning "burned," and refers to the flame-like
flower heads. Species are commonly known aswoolflowers, or, if the flower heads are crested by fasciation,
cockscombs. The plants are well known in East Africas highlands and are used under their Swahili name,
mfungu.
It is used as a treatment for intestinal worms (particularly tapeworm), blood diseases, mouth sores, eye
problems. The seeds treat chest complaints and the flowers treat diarrhea. The leaves are used as
dressings for boils and sores, and the boiled vegetables are said to be slightly diuretic.
Celosia argentea var. argentea or Lagos spinach (a.k.a. quail grass, Soko, Celosia, feather cockscomb) is
a broadleaf annual leaf vegetable. It grows widespread across Mexico, where it is known as "Velvet flower",
northern South America, tropical Africa, the West Indies, South, East and Southeast Asia where it is grown
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as a native or naturalized wildflower, and is cultivated as a nutritious leafy green vegetable. It is traditional
fare in the countries of Central and West Africa, and is one of the leading leafy green vegetables in Nigeria,
where it is known as soko yokoto, meaning "make husbands fat and happy". In Spain it is known as
"Rooster comb" because of its appearance.
As a grain, Cockscomb is a pseudo-cereal, not a true cereal.
These leaves are usednot to mention young stems and young inflorescencessoften up readily and are
used for stew. The leaves also have a soft texture and has a mild spinach-like taste. They are also pepped
up with such things as hot pepper, garlic, fresh lime, and red palm oil and eaten as a side dish.
Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
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Common sorrel
Common sorrel or garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa), often simply called sorrel, is a perennial herb that is
cultivated as a garden herb or leaf vegetable (pot herb). Other names for sorrel includespinach dock and
narrow-leaved dock.
Sorrel is a slender plant about 60 cm high, with roots that run deep into the ground, as well as juicy stems
and edible, oblong leaves. The lower leaves are 7 to 15 cm in length, slightly arrow-shaped at the base,
with very long petioles. The upper ones are sessile, and frequently become crimson. The leaves are eaten
by the larvae of several species of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) including the blood-vein moth.
It has whorled spikes of reddish-green flowers, which bloom in summer, becoming purplish. The stamens
and pistils are on different plants (dioecious); the ripe seeds are brown and shining.
Common sorrel has been cultivated for centuries. The leaves may be pured in soups and sauces or
added to salads; they have a flavour that is similar to kiwifruit or sour wild strawberries. The plant's sharp
taste is due to oxalic acid, which is a poison. In small quantities sorrel is harmless; in large quantities it can
be fatal.
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Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
Spinach
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to
central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant (rarely biennial), which grows to a height of up to 30 cm.
Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions. The leaves are alternate, simple, ovate to triangular-
based, very variable in size from about 230 cm long and 115 cm broad, with larger leaves at the base of
the plant and small leaves higher on the flowering stem. The flowers are inconspicuous, yellow-green, 34
mm diameter, maturing into a small, hard, dry, lumpy fruit cluster 510 mm across containing several seeds.
Common spinach, Spinacia oleracea, was long considered to be in the Chinopodiaceae family, but in 2003
the Chinopodiaceae family was combined with the Amaranthaceae family under the family name
'Amaranthaceae' in the order Caryophyllales. Within the Amaranthaceae family there are now a subfamily
Amaranthoideae and a subfamily Chenopodioideae, for the Amaranths and the Chenopods, respectively.
Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed,
or quickly boiled. It is a rich source of vitamin A (and especially high in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin
K, magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, folic acid,
copper, protein, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, opioid peptides
called rubiscolins have also been found in spinach.
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Summer purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Portulaca oleracea
Portulaca oleracea (Common Purslane, also known as Verdolaga, Pigweed, Little Hogweedor Pusley), is an
annual succulent in the family Portulacaceae, which can reach 40 cm in height. About 40 varieties are
currently cultivated. It has an extensive old-world distribution extending from North Africa through the Middle
East and the Indian Subcontinent to Malaysia and Australasia. The species status in the New World is
uncertain: it is generally considered an exotic weed; however, there is evidence that the species was in
Crawford Lakedeposits (Ontario) in 1430-89 AD, suggesting that it reached North America in the pre-
Columbian era. It is naturalised elsewhere and in some regions is considered an invasive weed. It has
smooth, reddish, mostly prostrate stems and alternate leaves clustered at stem joints and ends. The yellow
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flowers have five regular parts and are up to 6 mm wide. The flowers appear depending upon rainfall and
may occur year round. The flowers open singly at the center of the leaf cluster for only a few hours on
sunny mornings. Seeds are formed in a tiny pod, which opens when the seeds are ready. Purslane has a
taproot with fibrous secondary roots and is able to tolerate poor, compacted soils and drought.
When stressed by low availability of water, purslane, which has evolved in hot and dry environments,
switches to photosynthesis using Crassulacean acid metabolism (the CAM pathway): at night its leaves trap
carbon dioxide, which is converted into malic acid (the souring principle of apples), and in the day, the malic
acid is converted into glucose. When harvested in the early morning, the leaves have 10 times the malic
acid content as when harvested in the late afternoon, and thus have a significantly more tangy taste.
Known as Ma Chi Xian (pinyin: translates literally as "horse tooth amaranth") in Traditional Chinese
Medicine, it is used to treat infections or bleeding of the genito-urinary tract as well as dysentery. The fresh
herb may also be applied topically to relieve sores and insect or snake bites on the skin. Eating purslane
can dramatically reduce oral lichen planus.
Turnip greens (Brassica rapa Rapifera group)
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Turnip greens
Turnip or white turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa) is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates
worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while
larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock.
The most common type is mostly white-skinned apart from the upper 16 centimeters, which protrude
above the ground and are purple, red, or greenish wherever sunlight has fallen. This above-ground part
develops from stem tissue, but is fused with the root. The interior flesh is entirely white. The entire root is
roughly conical, but can be occasionally tomato-shaped, about 520 centimeters in diameter, and lacks
side roots. The taproot (the normal root below the swollen storage root) is thin and 10 centimeters or more
in length; it is trimmed off before marketing. The leaves grow directly from the above-ground shoulder of the
root, with little or no visible crown or neck (as found in rutabagas).
Turnip leaves are sometimes eaten as "turnip greens" ("turnip tops" in the UK), and they resemble mustard
greens in flavor. Turnip greens are a common side dish in southeastern US cooking, primarily during late
fall and winter. Smaller leaves are preferred; however, any bitter taste of larger leaves can be reduced by
pouring off the water from initial boiling and replacing it with fresh water. Varieties specifically grown for the
leaves resemble mustard greens more than those grown for the roots, with small or no storage roots.
Varieties of B. rapa that have been developed only for use as leaves are called Chinese cabbage. Both
leaves and root have a pungent flavor similar to raw cabbage or radishes that becomes mild after cooking.
Turnip roots weigh up to about one kilogram, although they can be harvested when smaller. Size is partly a
function of variety and partly a function of the length of time the turnip has grown. Most very small turnips
(also called baby turnips) are specialty varieties. These are only available when freshly harvested and do
not keep well. Most baby turnips can be eaten whole, including their leaves. Baby turnips come in yellow-,
orange-, and red-fleshed varieties as well as white-fleshed. Their flavor is mild, so they can be eaten raw in
salads like radishes.
The turnip's root is high only in vitamin C. The green leaves of the turnip top ("turnip greens") are a good
source of vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K and calcium. Turnip greens are high in lutein (8.5 mg /
100g).
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Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
Water cress
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale, N. microphyllum; formerly Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, R. microphylla)
are fast-growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plants native from Europe to central Asia, and one of
the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by human beings. These plants are members of the Family
Brassicaceae or cabbage family, botanically related to garden cress and mustard all noteworthy for a
peppery, tangy flavour.
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The hollow stems of watercress are floating, and the leaves are pinnately compound. Watercresses
produce small, white and green flowers in clusters.
Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticum (nomenclaturally invalid) and Sisymbrium nasturtium-aquaticum L. are
synonyms of N. officinale.Nasturtium officinale var microphyllum (Boenn. ex Reich.) Thellung is a synonym
of N. microphyllum (ITIS, 2004). These species are also listed in some sources as belonging to the genus
Rorippa, although molecular evidence shows the aquatic species with hollow stems are more closely related
to Cardamine than Rorippa. Watercresses are not closely related to the flowers in the genus Tropaeolum
(Family Tropaeolaceae), popularly known as "nasturtiums".
Watercress is often used in sandwiches, such as those made for afternoon tea.
Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)
Ipomoea aquatica
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Ipomoea aquatica is a semi-aquatic tropical plant grown as a leaf vegetable. It is known in English as Water
Spinach, Water Morning Glory, Water Convolvulus, or by the more ambiguous names "Chinese spinach"
and "swamp cabbage". It has many other names in other languages. It is found throughout the tropical and
subtropical regions of the world; it is not known exactly where it originated.
Ipomoea aquatica grows in water or on moist soil. Its stems are 23 metres (710 ft) or more long, rooting
at the nodes, and they are hollow and can float. The leaves vary from typically sagittate (arrow-head-
shaped) to lanceolate, 515 centimetres (26 in) long and 28 centimetres (0.83 in) broad. The flowers
are trumpet-shaped, 35 centimetres (12 in) diameter, usually white in colour with a mauve centre. The
flowers can form seed pods which can be used for planting.
Ipomoea aquatica is most commonly grown in East and Southeast Asia. Because it flourishes naturally in
waterways and requires little if any care, it is used extensively in Malay and Chinese cuisine, especially
in rural or kampung (village) areas.
It has also been introduced to the United States where its high growth rate has caused it to become an
environmental problem, especially in Florida and Texas. It has been officially designated by the USDA as a
"noxious weed" (the term "noxious" refers to its effect on the environment, not to any toxicity)
n the Philippines, Ipomoea aquatica or kangkng, is usually sauted in cooking oil, onions, garlic, vinegar,
and soy sauce. This dish is called "adobong kangkong". It is also a common leaf vegetable in fish and meat
stews such as sinigang. There is also an appetizer in the Philippines called "crispy kangkong", in which
Ipomoea aquatica leaves are coated with batter and fried until crisp and golden brown.
In South India the leaves are finely chopped and mixed with grated coconut in order to prepare Thoran , a
Kerala cuisine dish.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
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Yarrow
Achillea millefolium or yarrow is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the Northern
Hemisphere. In New Mexico and southern Colorado, it is called plumajillo, or "little feather", for the shape of
the leaves. In antiquity, yarrow was known as herbal militaris, for its use in staunching the flow of blood from
wounds. Other common names for this species includecommon yarrow, gordaldo, nosebleed plant, old
man's pepper, devil's nettle, sanguinary,milfoil, soldier's woundwort, thousand-leaf (as its binomial name
affirms), and thousand-seal.
Common yarrow is an erect herbaceous perennial plant that produces one to several stems (0.2 to 1m tall)
and has a rhizomatous growth form. Leaves are evenly distributed along the stem, with the leaves near the
middle and bottom of the stem being the largest. The leaves have varying degrees of hairiness
(pubescence). The leaves are 520 cm long, bipinnate or tripinnate, almost feathery, and arranged spirally
on the stems. The leaves are cauline and more or less clasping. The inflorescence has 4 to 9 phyllaries
and contains ray and disk flowers which are white to pink. There are generally 3 to 8 ray flowers that are
ovate to round. Disk flowers range from 15 to 40. The inflorescence is produced in a flat-topped cluster.
Yarrow grows up to 3500m above sea level. The plant commonly flowers from May through June, and is a
frequent component in butterfly gardens. Common yarrow is frequently found in the mildly disturbed soil of
grasslands and open forests. Active growth occurs in the spring.
Common yarrow is a drought tolerant species of which there are several different ornamental cultivars.
Seeds require light for germination, so optimal germination occurs when planted no deeper than inch (~6
mm). Seeds also require a germination temperature of 1824 C (6475 F). Common yarrow responds
best to soil that is poorly developed and well drained. The plant has a relatively short life, but may be
prolonged by dividing the plant every other year, and planting 12 to 18 inches (3046 cm) apart. Common
yarrow is a weedy species and can become invasive. It may suffer from mildew or root rot if not planted in
well-drained soil.
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Yarrows can be planted to combat soil erosion due to the plant's resistance to drought.
The herb is purported to be a diaphoretic, astringent, tonic, stimulant and mild aromatic. It contains
isovaleric acid, salicylic acid, asparagin, sterols, flavonoids, bitters, tannins, andcoumarins. The plant also
has a long history as a powerful 'healing herb' used topically for wounds, cuts and abrasions. The genus
name Achillea is derived from mythical Greek character,Achilles, who reportedly carried it with his army to
treat battle wounds. This medicinal action is also reflected in some of the common names mentioned below,
such as Staunchweed and Soldier's Woundwort.
The stalks of yarrow are dried and used as a randomising agent in I Ching divination.
In the Middle Ages, yarrow was part of a herbal mixture known as gruit used in the flavouring of beer prior to
the use of hops.
Old folk names for yarrow include arrowroot, bad man's plaything, carpenter's weed, death flower, devil's
nettle, eerie, field hops, gearwe, hundred leaved grass, knight's milefoil, knyghten, milefolium, milfoil,
millefoil, noble yarrow, nosebleed, old man's mustard, old man's pepper, sanguinary, seven year's love,
snake's grass, soldier, soldier's woundwort, stanch weed, thousand seal, woundwort, yarroway, yerw.
Yarrow has also been used as a food, and was very popular as a vegetable in the seventeenth century.
The younger leaves are said to be a pleasant leaf vegetable when cooked as spinach, or in a soup. Yarrow
is sweet with a slight bitter taste. The leaves can also be dried and used as a herb in cooking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vegetable Fruits
Avocado (Persea americana)
The avocado (Persea americana) is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering
plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel. Avocado or alligator pearalso
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refers to the fruit (botanically a large drupe that contains a large seed) of the tree, which may be pear-
shaped, egg-shaped or spherical.
Avocados are commercially valuable, and are cultivated in tropical and mediterranean climates throughout
the world, producing a green-skinned, pear-shaped fruit that ripens after harvesting. Trees are
partially self-pollinating and often are propagated through grafting to maintain a predictable quality and
quantity of the fruit.
Sweet pepper/Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum)
Bell pepper, also known as sweet pepper or capsicum, is a cultivar group of the species Capsicum
annuum (chili pepper). Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange
and green. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as "sweet peppers".
Peppers are native to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Pepper seeds were later carried
to Spain in 1493 and from there spread to other European, African and Asian countries.
Today, Mexico remains one of the major pepper producers in the world.
While the bell pepper is a member of the Capsicum genus, it is the only Capsicum apart from Capsicum
rhomboideum that does not produce capsaicin, a lipophilic chemical that can cause a strong burning
sensation when it comes in contact with mucous membranes. The lack of capsaicin in bell peppers is due to a
recessive form of a gene that eliminates capsaicin and, consequently, the "hot" taste usually associated with
the rest of the Capsicum genus.
The term "bell pepper" or "pepper" or "capsicum" is often used for any of the large bell shaped capsicum
fruits, regardless of their color. In British English, the fruit is simply referred to as a "pepper", or additionally
by colour (as in the term "green pepper", for example), whereas in many Commonwealth of
Nations countries, such as Australia, India, Malaysia and New Zealand, they are called "capsicum". Across
Europe, the term "paprika", which has its roots in the word for pepper, is usedsometimes referred to by
their color (e.g., "groene paprika", "gele paprika", in Dutch, which are green and yellow,
respectively). Paprika also refers to the powdered spice made from the fruits in the Capsicum genus.
Bitter melon/Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia)
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Momordica charantia, called bitter melon or bitter gourd in English, is a tropical and subtropical vine of the
family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for its edible fruit, which is among the
most bitter of all fruits. There are many varieties that differ substantially in the shape and bitterness of the
fruit.
This herbaceous, tendril-bearing vine grows to 5 meters. It bears simple, alternate leaves 412 cm across,
with 37 deeply separated lobes. Each plant bears separate yellow male and female flower. In the Northern
Hemisphere, flowering occurs during June to July and fruiting during September to November.
The fruit has a distinct warty exterior and an oblong shape. It is hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin
layer of flesh surrounding a central seed cavity filled with large flat seeds and pith. The fruit is most often
eaten green, or as it is beginning to turn yellow. At this stage, the fruit's flesh is crunchy and watery in
texture, similar to cucumber, chayote or green bell pepper, but bitter. The skin is tender and edible. Seeds
and pith appear white in unripe fruits; they are not intensely bitter and can be removed before cooking.
As the fruit ripens, the flesh becomes tougher, more bitter, and too distasteful to eat. On the other hand, the
pith becomes sweet and intensely red; it can be eaten uncooked in this state, and is a popular ingredient in
some southeast Asian salads.
When the fruit is fully ripe it turns orange and mushy, and splits into segments which curl back dramatically
to expose seeds covered in bright red pulp.
Upo -bottle gourd
Lagenaria siceraria or Lagenaria vulgaris, the calabash, bottle gourd, opo squash or long melon is
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a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature,
dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe. For this reason, the calabash is widely known as the bottle gourd.
The fresh fruit has a light green smooth skin and a white flesh.
Rounder varieties are called calabash gourds.They come in a variety of shapes, they can be huge and
rounded, or small and bottle shaped, or slim and more than a meter long.
The calabash was one of the first cultivated plants in the world, grown not primarily for food, but for use as a
water container. The bottle gourd may have been carried from Africato Asia, Europe and the Americas in the
course of human migration. It shares its common name with that of the calabash tree (Crescentia cujete).
Chayote (Sechium edule)
The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as christophene, vegetable pear, mirliton, choko(in Australia and
New Zealand), starpreciant, citrayota, citrayote (Ecuador and Colombia),chuchu (Brazil), chow
chow (India), cho cho (Jamaica), Sayote (Philippines) ,gisquil(Guatemala, El Salvador), or pear
squash, iskus (Nepal) is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along
with melons, cucumbers and squash.
Chayote is originally native to Mesoamerica, but has been introduced as a crop worldwide. The main growing
regions are Costa Rica and Veracruz, Mexico. Costa Rican chayotes are predominantly exported to the
European Union whereas Veracruz is the main exporter of chayotes to the United States.
The word "chayote" is a Spanish derivative of the Nahuatl word chayohtli. Chayote was one of the many
foods introduced to Europe by early explorers, who brought back a wide assortment of botanical samples.
The Age of Conquest also spread the plant south from Mexico, ultimately causing it to be integrated into the
cuisine of many other Latin American nations.
The chayote fruit is used in both raw and cooked forms. When cooked, chayote is usually handled like
summer squash, it is generally lightly cooked to retain the crisp flavor. Raw chayote may be added to salads
or salsas, and it is often marinated with lemon or lime juice. It can also be eaten straight, although the bland
flavour makes this a dubious endeavor. Whether raw or cooked, chayote is a good source of amino acids
and vitamin C.
Although most people are familiar only with the fruit as edible, the root, stem, seeds, and leaves are as well.
The tubers of the plant are eaten like potatoes and other root vegetables while the shoots and leaves are often
consumed in salads and stir fries, especially in Asia. Like other members of the gourd family such
as cucumbers, melons, and squash, chayote has a sprawling habit, and it should only be planted if there is
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plenty of room in the garden. The roots are also highly susceptible to rot, especially in containers, and the
plant in general is finicky to grow. However, in Australia andNew Zealand it is an easily grown yard garden
plant, set on a chicken wire support or strung against a fence.
Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo)
Courgette (Cucurbita pepo)
The zucchini plural: zucchini or zucchinis; from Italian: zucchina , plural: zucchine) or courgette ,plural:
courgettes) is a popularly cultivated summer squash which often grows to nearly a meter in length, but which
is usually harvested at half that size or less. Along with certain other squashes, it belongs to the species
Cucurbita pepo. The prevalent name for the plant in Italy (zucchina/e) is also commonly used
spelled zucchini in North America and Australia. The name courgette is a French loan word and is commonly
used in Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa. Zucchini can be dark or light green, and
generally have a similar shape to a ridged cucumber, although some round varieties are also available. A
related hybrid, the golden zucchini is a deep yellow or orange color.
In a culinary context, zucchini is treated as a vegetable, which means it is usually cooked and presented as a
savory dish or accompaniment. Botanically, however, the zucchini is an immature fruit, being the
swollen ovary of the female zucchini flower.
The female flower is a golden blossom on the end of each emergent zucchini. The male flower grows directly
on the stem of the zucchini plant in the leaf axils (where leaf petiole meets stem), on a long stalk, and is
slightly smaller than the female. Both flowers are edible, and are often used to dress a meal or garnish the
cooked fruit.
Firm and fresh blossoms that are only slightly open are cooked to be eaten, with pistils removed from female
flowers, and stamens removed from male flowers. The stem on the flowers can be retained as a way of giving
the cook something to hold onto during cooking, rather than injuring the delicate petals, or they can be
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removed prior to cooking, or prior to serving. There are a variety of recipes in which the flowers may be
deep fried as fritters or tempura (after dipping in a light tempura batter), stuffed, sauted, baked, or used in
soups.
In Mexico, the flower is often used as an ingredient for soup, sopa de flor de calabaza, and it is quite popular
in a variation of the traditional quesadillas, becoming quesadillas de flor de calabaza. Zucchini is also used in
a variety of other dishes (rajas), and as a side dish.
Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) / Squash (Cucurbita spp.)
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae (which also includes
gourds). It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo,Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbit
maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America. They typically have a thick, orange or
yellow shell, creased from the stem to the bottom, containing the seeds and pulp.
In Australian English, the name 'pumpkin' generally refers to the broader category called winter
squash in North America.
The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (), which is Greek for large melon".
The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American
colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin". The origin of pumpkins is not definitively
known, although they are thought to have originated in North America. The oldest evidence, pumpkin-
related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit
that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms).
Since some squash share the same botanical classifications as pumpkins, the names are frequently used
interchangeably. In general, pumpkin stems are more rigid, prickly, and angular (with an approximate five-
degree angle) than squash stems, which are generally softer, more rounded, and more flared where joined to
the fruit.
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Pumpkins generally weigh 918 lbs (48 kg) with the largest (of the species C. maxima) capable of reaching a
weight of over 75 lbs (34 kg). The pumpkin varies greatly in shape, ranging from oblate to oblong. The rind is
smooth and usually lightly ribbed. Although pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, some fruits are dark
green, pale green, orange-yellow, white, red and gray.
Pumpkins are monoecious, having both male and female flowers on the same plant. The female flower is
distinguished by the small ovary at the base of the petals. These bright and colorful flowers have extremely
short life spans and may only open for as short a time as one day. The color of pumpkins is derived from the
orange pigments abundant in them. The main nutrients are lutein and both alpha and beta carotene, the latter
of which generates vitamin A in the body.
Squashes generally refer to four species of the genus Cucurbita native to Mexico and Central America, also
called marrows depending on variety or the nationality of the speaker. These species
include C. maxima (hubbard squash, buttercup squash, some varieties of prize pumpkins, such as Big
Max), C. mixta (cushaw squash), C. moschata (butternut squash), and C. pepo (most pumpkins, acorn squash,
summer squash, zucchini). In North America, squash is loosely grouped into summer squash or winter
squash, depending on whether they are harvested as immature fruit (summer squash) or mature fruit
(autumn squash or winter squash).Gourds are from the same family as squashes. Well known types of squash
include the pumpkin and zucchini. Giant squash are derived from Cucurbita maxima and are routinely grown
to weights nearing those of giant pumpkins.
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which
includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. The plant is a creeping vine which bears
cylindrical edible fruit. There are three main varieties of cucumber: "slicing", "pickling", and
"burpless". Within these varieties, several different cultivars have emerged. The cucumber is originally
fromIndia, but is now grown on most continents. Many different varieties are traded on the global market.
The cucumber is a creeping vine that roots in the ground and grows up trellises or other supporting frames,
wrapping around ribbing with thin, spiraling tendrils. The plant has large leaves that form a canopy over the
fruit. The fruit of the cucumber is roughly cylindrical, elongated with tapered ends, and may be as large as 60
centimeters (24 in) long and 10 centimeters (3.9 in) in diameter. Having an enclosed seed and developing
from a flower, botanically speaking, cucumbers are classified as fruits. However, much like tomatoes and
squash they are often perceived, prepared and eaten as vegetables. Cucumbers are usually more than 90%
water.
Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal (Solanum melongena)
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The eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjal, or guinea squash (Solanum melongena) is a plant of the
family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus Solanum. It bears a fruit of the same name,
commonly used in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native
to India.
It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. It grows 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 in) tall, with large
coarsely lobed leaves that are 10 to 20 cm (48 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (24 in) broad. Semiwild types can
grow much larger, to 225 cm (7 ft) with large leaves over 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) broad. The stem
is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The fruit is
fleshy, has a meaty texture, and is less than 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in
cultivated forms.
The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small, soft seeds, which are edible, but
are bitter because they contain nicotinoid alkaloids, unsurprising as it is a close relative of tobacco.
The plant is native to India. It has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory but appears
to have become known to the Western world no earlier than ca. 1500. The first known written record of the
plant is found in Q mn yo sh, an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544. The
numerous Arabic and North African names for it, along with the lack of the ancient Greek and Roman names,
indicate it was introduced throughout the Mediterranean area by the Arabs in the early Middle Ages. The
scientific name Solanum melongena is derived from a 16th century Arabic term for one variety.
patola - ridgegourd
The luffa, loofah, or lufah are tropical and subtropical vines comprising the genus Luffa, the only genus of
the subtribe Luffinae of the plant family Cucurbitaceae. The fruit of at least two species, Luffa
acutangula and Luffa aegyptiaca (Luffa cylindrica), is grown, harvested before maturity, and eaten as
a vegetable, popular in Asia and Africa.
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The ripe, dried fruit is also the source of the loofah or plant sponge. Luffas are also used to make the soles of
beach sandals.
Luffa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, includingHypercompe
albicornis.
Parts of the plant are used to create bath or kitchen sponges, a natural jaundice remedy, furniture and even
houses. It is also eaten as a green vegetable.
The fruit section of L. aegyptiaca may be allowed to mature and used as a bath or kitchen sponge after being
processed to remove everything but the network of xylem or fibers. Marketed as luffa orloofah, the sponge is
used like a body scrub. Softly-textured luffa sponges are not derived from the luffa fruit, but are
manufactured by folding in several layers of soft mesh-like fabric into a cloud-like shape; commonly used in
tandem with shower soaps.
Its juice is used as a natural remedy for jaundice. The juice is obtained by pounding the bitter luffa and
squeezing it through a cloth. Bitter luffa seeds and dry crusts are also available and can be used for the same
purpose.
In Maharashtra, India, dodka (Ridge Gourd/luffa) and ghosavala (smooth luffa) are common vegetables
prepared with either crushed dried peanuts or with beans. In Northern regions of India, Torai is the common
name for Luffa.
In China, Indonesia, the Philippines, the luffa or patola is eaten as a green vegetable in various dishes. The
luffa is eaten when the fruit is young and the sponge has yet to become tough. It is also known as Chinese
Okra in Canada.
In Paraguay, panels are made out of luffa combined with other vegetable matter and recycled plastic. These
can be used to create furniture and construct houses.
Sweet corn aka corn; aka maize (Zea mays)
Sweet corn (Zea mays convar. saccharata var. rugosa; also called Indian corn, sugar corn, andpole corn) is a
variety of maize with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally
occurring recessive mutation in the genes which control conversion of sugar to starch inside
theendosperm of the corn kernel. Unlike field corn varieties, which are harvested when the kernels are dry
and mature (dent stage), sweet corn is picked when immature (milk stage) and prepared and eaten as
a vegetable, rather than a grain. Since the process of maturation involves converting sugar to starch, sweet
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corn stores poorly and must be eaten fresh, canned, or frozen, before the kernels become tough and starchy.
Sweet corn occurs as a spontaneous mutation in field corn and was grown by several Native American tribes.
The Iroquois gave the first recorded sweet corn (called Papoon) to European settlers in 1779. It soon became
a popular vegetable in southern and central regions of the United States.
Open pollinated varieties of white sweet corn started to become widely available in theUnited States in the
19th century. Two of the most enduring varieties, still available today, are Country Gentleman (a Shoepeg
corn with small, white kernels in irregular rows) and Stowell's Evergreen.
Tinda (Praecitrullus fistulosus)
The tinda, also called Indian round gourd or apple gourd or Indian Baby Pumpkin, is a squash-
like cucurbit grown for its immature fruit, a vegetable especially popular in South Asia. It is the only member
of the genus Praecitrullus. "tinda" is also called "tindsi" in rajasthan.
The plant is, as with all cucurbits, a prolific vine, and is grown as an annual. The fruit is approximately
spherical, and 58 cm in diameter. The seeds may also be roasted and eaten.
This unique squash-like gourd is native to India, very popular in Indian and Pakistani cooking with curry and
many gourmet dishes. Green colored, apple sized fruits are flattish round in shape and 50-60 grams in
weight. Plants are vigorous, productive and begin to bear fruits in 70 days after planting.
Can be confused with Tendli or Kundru due to similar sounding name from different languages and
regions. Tinda in Punjabi or most North Indian Languages is "Indian Baby Pumpkin".
Tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica)
The tomatillo (Physalis philadelphica) is a plant of the nightshade family, related to the cape gooseberry,
bearing small, spherical and green or green-purple fruit of the same name. Tomatillos, referred to as green
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tomato (Spanish: tomate verde) in Mexico, are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Tomatillos are grown as annuals
throughout the Western Hemisphere. Often self-incompatible, tomatillos need a second plant to enhance
pollination and guarantee fruit set.
The tomatillo fruit is surrounded by an inedible, paper-like husk formed from the calyx. As the fruit matures,
it fills the husk and can split it open by harvest. The husk turns brown, and the fruit can be any of a number
of colors when ripe, including yellow, red, green, or even purple. Tomatillos are the key ingredient in fresh
and cooked Latin American green sauces. The freshness and greenness of the husk are quality criteria. Fruit
should be firm and bright green, as the green colour and tart flavour are the main culinary contributions of
the fruit. Purple and red-ripening cultivars often have a slight sweetness, unlike the green- and yellow-
ripening cultivars, and are therefore somewhat more suitable for fruit-like uses like jams and preserves. Like
their close relatives cape gooseberries, tomatillos have a high pectin content.
Tomatillo plants are highly self-incompatible (two or more plants are needed for proper pollination; thus
isolated tomatillo plants rarely set fruit).
Ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. They will keep even longer if the husks are
removed and the fruits are placed in sealed plastic bags stored in the refrigerator. They may also be frozen
whole or sliced.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var)
Tomato may refer to both the plant (Solanum lycopersicum) and the edible, typically red, fruit which it
bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish
colonization of theAmericas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in green houses in cooler
climates.
The tomato fruit is consumed in diverse ways, including raw, as an ingredient in many dishes and sauces, and
in drinks. While it is botanically a fruit, it is considered a vegetable for culinary purposes (as well as by the
United States Supreme Court, see Nix v. Hedden), which has caused some confusion. The fruit is rich
in lycopene, which may have beneficial health effects.
The tomato belongs to the nightshade family. The plants typically grow to 13 metres (310 ft) in height and
have a weak stem that often sprawls over the ground and vines over other plants. It is aperennial in its native
habitat, although often grown outdoors in temperate climates as an annual.
Winter melon (Benincasa hispida)
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The winter melon, also called white gourd, ash gourd, or "fuzzy melon", is a vine grown for its very
large fruit, eaten as a vegetable when mature. It is the only member of the genus Benincasa. The fruit is fuzzy
when young. The immature melon has thick white flesh that is sweet when eaten. By maturity, the fruit loses
its hairs and develops a waxy coating, giving rise to the name wax gourd, and providing a long shelf life. The
melon may grow as large as 80 cm in length. Although the fruit is referred to as a "melon," the fully grown
crop is not sweet. Originally cultivated inSoutheast Asia, the winter melon is now widely grown in East
Asia and South Asia as well.
Winter melon is also a common name for members of the Inodorus cultivar group of
themuskmelon (Cucumis melo L), more commonly known as casaba or honeydew melons.
The winter melon requires very warm weather to grow but can be kept through the winter much like winter
squash. The winter melon can typically be stored for 12 months. The melons are used in stir fry or to
make winter melon soup, which is often served in the scooped out melon, which has been intricately
decorated by scraping off the waxy coating.
The shoots, tendrils, and leaves of the plant may also be eaten as greens.
West Indian gherkin (Cucumis anguria)
Cucumis anguria, also called the West Indian Gherkin,Burr Gherkin, Burr Cucumber, or maxixe, and locally
known as badunga or cohombro, is a vine grown for its fruit used as a vegetable. It is similar and related to
the common cucumber (C. sativus) and its cultivars are known as gherkins.
The fruit is typically 4-8 cm in length, 2-4 cm in diameter, and covered with soft spines.
Plants are originally from Africa. They are popular in thenortheast and north of Brazl, where they are used in
the local version of cozido (meat-and-vegetable stew). The flavor of this gherkin is similar to that of the
common cucumber.
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Vegetables: Flowers and Buds
Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus, C. scolymus)
The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is a perennial thistle of the Cynara genus originating
in Southern Europe around the Mediterranean. It grows to 1.42 metres (4.66.6 ft) tall, with arching,
deeply lobed, silvery, glaucous-green leaves 5082 centimetres (2032 in) long. The flowers develop in a
large head from an edible bud about 815 centimetres (3.15.9 in) diameter with numerous triangular scales;
the individual florets are purple. The edible portion of the buds consists primarily of the fleshy lower
portions of the involucral bracts and the base, known as the "heart"; the mass of immature florets in the
center of the bud is called the "choke" or beard. These are inedible in older larger flowers.
In the US, large globe artichokes are most frequently prepared for cooking by removing all but 510
millimetres (0.20.4 in) or so of the stem, and (optionally) cutting away about a quarter of each scale with
scissors. This removes the thorns on some varieties that can interfere with handling the leaves when eating.
Then, the artichoke is boiled or steamed until tender. The core of the stem, which tastes like the artichoke
heart, is edible once the stem's fibrous exterior has been removed
If boiling, salt can be added to the water, if desired. It may be preferable not to cover the pot while the
artichokes are boiled, so the acids will boil out into the air. Covered artichokes, particularly those that have
been cut, can turn brown due to the enzymatic browning and chlorophyll oxidation. If not cooked
immediately, placing them in water lightly acidulated with vinegar or lemon juice prevents the discoloration.
Leaves are often removed one at a time and the fleshy base part is eaten, sometimes dipped in
hollandaise, vinegar, butter, mayonnaise, aioli, lemon juice or other sauces, with the fibrous upper part of
each leaf being discarded; the heart is then eaten when the inedible choke has been discarded after being
carefully peeled away from the base. The thin leaves covering the choke are mostly edible.
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea)
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Broccoli is a plant in the cabbage family, whose large flower head is used as a vegetable.
The word broccoli, from the Italian plural of broccolo, refers to "the flowering top of a cabbage".
Broccoli is classified in the Italica cultivar group of the species Brassica oleracea. Broccoli has large flower
heads, usually green in color, arranged in a tree-like fashion on branches sprouting from a thick, edible stalk.
The mass of flower heads is surrounded by leaves. Broccoli most closely resembles cauliflower, which is a
different cultivar group of the same species.
Broccoli is usually boiled or steamed, but may be eaten raw and has become popular as a raw vegetable
in hors d'uvre trays. Boiling reduces the levels of suspected anti-carcinogenic compounds in broccoli, with
losses of 20 30% after five minutes, 40 50% after ten minutes, and 77% after thirty minutes. However,
other preparation methods such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying had no significant effect on the
compounds. Steaming broccoli for 34 minutes is recommended to maximize potential anti-cancer
compounds, such as sulforaphane.
Broccoli is high in vitamin C, as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-
cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and small amounts of selenium. A single serving provides more
than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C. The 3,3'-Diindolylmethane found in
broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-
cancer activity. Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anti-
cancer compoundsulforaphane, though the benefits of broccoli are greatly reduced if the vegetable is boiled.
Broccoli is also an excellent source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and
appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Broccoli has the highest levels of carotenoids in
the brassica family. It is particularly rich in lutein and also provides beta-carotene.
A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Broccoli
consumption has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease. Broccoli consumption is
also associated with malodorous flatulence, due to a high sulfate content.
Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea)
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Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. It is an
annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head (the white curd) of aborted floral meristems is
eaten, while the stalk and surrounding thick, green leaves are used in vegetable broth or discarded.
Its name is from Latin caulis (cabbage) and flower, an acknowledgment of its unusual place among a family of
food plants which normally produces only leafy greens for eating. Brassica oleracea also includes cabbage,
brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, and collard greens, though they are of different cultivar groups.
There are four major groups of cauliflower:
Italian
Diverse in appearance, and biennial and annual in type, this group includes white, Romanesco, various green,
purple, brown and yellow cultivars. This type is the ancestral form from which the others were derived.
Northwest European biennial
Used in Europe for winter and early spring harvest, this was developed in France in the 19th century, and
includes the old cultivars Roscoff and Angers.
Northern European annuals
Used in Europe and North America for summer and fall harvest, it was developed in Germany in the 18th
century, and includes old cultivars Erfurt and Snowball.
Asian
A tropical cauliflower used in China and India, it was developed in India during the 19th century from the
now-abandoned Cornish type, and includes old varieties Early Patna and Early Benaras.
Colors
White
White cauliflower is the most common colour of cauliflower.
Orange
Orange cauliflower (B. oleracea L. var. botrytis) contains 25 times the level of vitamin A of white varieties.
This trait came from a natural mutant found in a cauliflower field in Canada. Cultivars include 'Cheddar' and
'Orange Bouquet'.
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Green
Green cauliflower of the B. oleracea botrytis group, is sometimes called broccoflower. It is available both with
the normal curd shape and a variant spiky curd called Romanesco broccoli. Both types have been
commercially available in the US and Europe since the early 1990s. Green-curded varieties include 'Alverda',
'Green Goddess' and 'Vorda'. Romanesco varieties include 'Minaret' and 'Veronica'.
Purple
Purple color in cauliflower is caused by the presence of the antioxidant group anthocyanins, which can also
be found in red cabbage and red wine. Varieties include 'Graffiti' and 'Purple Cape'. In Great Britain and
southern Italy, a broccoli with tiny flower buds is sold as a vegetable under the name "purple cauliflower". It is
not the same as standard cauliflower with a purple curd.
Cauliflower is low in fat, but high in dietary fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C, possessing a high nutritional
density.
Cauliflower contains several phyto-chemicals, common in the cabbage family, that may be beneficial to
human health.
* Sulforaphane, a compound released when cauliflower is chopped or chewed, may protect against cancer.
*Other glucosinolates
*Carotenoids
*Indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that enhances DNA repair, and acts as an estrogen antagonist, slowing the
growth of cancer cells.
Boiling reduces the levels of these compounds, with losses of 2030% after five minutes, 4050% after ten
minutes, and 7 5% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods, such as steaming, microwaving,
and stir frying, had no significant effect on the compounds.
A high intake of cauliflower has been associated with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
Low carbohydrate dieters can use cauliflower as a reasonable substitute for potatoes; while they can produce
a similar texture, or mouth feel, they lack the starch of potatoes.
Broccoli Romanesco (Brassica oleracea)
Romanesco broccoli, or Roman cauliflower, is an edible flower of the species Brassica oleracea, and a variant
form of cauliflower.
Romanesco broccoli resembles a cauliflower, but is of a light green color and the inflorescence (the bud) has
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an approximate self-similar character, with the branched meristems making a logarithmic spiral. In this sense
the broccoli's shape approximates a natural fractal; each bud is composed of a series of smaller buds, all
arranged in yet another logarithmic spiral. This self-similar pattern continues at several smaller levels.
The vegetable is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, fibre, and carotenoids.
Although in Italy there are a number of recipes dedicated to Romanesco broccoli, in the rest of the world it is
usually prepared like conventional broccoli. Like conventional broccoli, overcooking Romanesco will result
in a texture some people find unpleasant. The texture is more tender than cauliflower, making it suited to raw
use as crudits. Romanesco broccoli has a milder flavor, more creamy and nutty, and less bitter, than
conventional broccolli and cauliflower.
Courgette flowers (Cucurbita spp.)
Zucchini is treated as a vegetable, which means it is usually cooked and presented as a savory dish or
accompaniment. Botanically, however, the zucchini is an immature fruit, being the swollen ovary of the
female zucchini flower.
The female flower is a golden blossom on the end of each emergent zucchini. The male flower grows directly
on the stem of the zucchini plant in the leaf axils (where leaf petiole meets stem), on a long stalk, and is
slightly smaller than the female. Both flowers are edible, and are often used to dress a meal or garnish the
cooked fruit.
Firm and fresh blossoms that are only slightly open are cooked to be eaten, with pistils removed from female
flowers, and stamens removed from male flowers. The stem on the flowers can be retained as a way of giving
the cook something to hold onto during cooking, rather than injuring the delicate petals, or they can be
removed prior to cooking, or prior to serving. There are a variety of recipes in which the flowers may be
deep fried as fritters or tempura (after dipping in a light tempura batter), stuffed, sauted, baked, or used in
soups.
In Mexico, the flower is often used as an ingredient for soup, sopa de flor de calabaza, and it is quite popular
in a variation of the traditional quesadillas, becoming quesadillas de flor de calabaza. Zucchini is also used in
a variety of other dishes (rajas), and as a side dish.
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