Edible Plants
Vegetables, herbs, fruits, nuts, grains, legumes, spices, and useful edible plant groups.
Edible plants are chosen for leaves, roots, stems, flowers, fruit, seeds, nuts, oils, or flavoring compounds.
Main Kinds
Section titled “Main Kinds”| Kind | Examples | Harvested part |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf vegetables | Lettuce, spinach, kale, chard | Leaves |
| Fruiting vegetables | Tomato, pepper, eggplant, cucumber | Fruits used as vegetables |
| Roots and tubers | Carrot, potato, beet, radish, sweet potato | Roots, tubers, swollen stems |
| Herbs | Basil, parsley, mint, rosemary, coriander | Leaves, stems, flowers |
| Fruits | Citrus, apple, berry, grape, fig | Sweet or culinary fruit |
| Legumes | Beans, peas, lentils, peanuts | Seeds and pods |
| Grains and cereals | Rice, wheat, corn, oats, sorghum | Seeds |
| Nuts and oil crops | Almond, walnut, olive, sunflower | Nuts, seeds, oils |
Planning Notes
Section titled “Planning Notes”Food plants usually need more light and nutrition than ornamental foliage plants. Most productive crops need full sun, steady watering, and timely harvest.