Tropical & Subtropical Perennial Vegetables
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TROPICAL & SUBTROPICAL PERENNIAL VEGETABLES Compiled by Eric Toensmeier for ECHO Conference 2011 TREES Genus Species Common Name Origin Part Used Region Humidity Leaves, Adansonia digitata baobab Africa Lowlands Mesic to arid fruit, nuts Artocarpus altilis breadfruit Pacific Fruit Lowlands Humid Low, high, Bambusa spp. bamboos Asia Shoots Humid to mesic subtropics Lowlands, Dendrocalamus spp. bamboos Asia Shoots Humid to mesic subtropics Tuber & Ensete ventricosum enset Africa trunk Highlands Mesic to semi-arid starch Erythrina edulis chachafruto Andes Beans Highlands Mesic to semi-arid Leucaena esculenta guaje Mesoamerica Beans Lowlands Mesic to semi-arid Lowlands, Moringa oleifera moringa India Leaf, pods Humid to semi-arid subtropics Lowlands, Moringa stenopetala moringa East Africa Leaf, pods subtropics Humid to semi-arid Leaves Low, high, Morus alba white mulberry Asia Humid to semi-arid cooked subtropics Low, high, Musa acuminata banana, plantain Asia, Africa Fruit Humid to semi-arid subtropics SHRUBS Genus Species Common Name Origin Part Used Region Humidity Leaves Abelmoschus manihot edible hibiscus Pacific Low tropics Humid to mesic cooked Low, high Cajanus cajan pigeon pea South Asia Beans Humid to arid subtropics Carica papaya papaya Americas Fruit Low, subtropics Humid to mesic Leaves Low, high Cnidoscolus chayamansa chaya Mesoamerica Humid to arid cooked subtropics Leaves Low, high, Crotolaria longirostrata chipilin Mesoamerica Humid to semi-arid cooked subtropics cranberry Leaves raw Hibiscus acetosella Africa Low, subtropics Humid to semi-arid hibiscus or cooked Roots, cassava, yucca, Low, high, Manihot esculenta South America leaves Humid to arid manioc subtropics cooked Low, high, Opuntia ficus-indica nopale cactus Mesoamerica Pads Humid to arid subtropics Leaves raw Lowlands, Sauropus androgynous katuk Asia Humid to mesic or cooked subtropics VINES Genus Species Common Name Origin Part Used Region Humidity Leaves raw Lowlands, Basella alba Malabar spinach Asia Humid to semi-arid or cooked subtropics Fruit, leaves Lowlands, Coccinia grandis ivy gourd Asia raw or highlands, Humid to mesic cooked subtropics Aerial & Low, high, Diocorea bulbifera air potato Asia & Africa mother Humid to mesic subtropics tubers Lowlands, Dioscorea alata white yam Asia Tubers Humid to mesic subtropics Low, high, Lablab purpureus lablab bean* Africa Beans Humid to semi-arid subtropics Highlands, Phaseolus coccinneus runner bean Mesoamerica Beans Humid to semi-arid subtropics Low, high, Phaseolus lunatus lima bean Americas Beans Mesic to semi-arid subtropics Beans, Low, high, Psophocarpus tetragonobolus winged bean Asia Humid to mesic leaves, subtropics flowers, tubers Fruit, cooked Low, high, Sechium edule chayote Mesoamerica Humid to semi-arid leaves, subtropics tubers Haitian basket Leaves Trichostigma octandrum Americas Lowlands Humid to mesic vine cooked Tropaeolum tuberosum mashua Andes Tubers Highlands Humid to mesic Tubers, Ullucus tuberosus ulluco Andes highlands Humid to mesic leaves * Some lablab varieties (typically cover crop forms) are toxic. MEDIUM TO LARGE HERBS Genus Species Common Name Origin Part Used Region Humidity Scallions, Low, high, Allium fistulosum Welsh onion Asia Humid to semi-arid leaves subtropics Leaves, Low, high, Allium tuberosum garlic chives Asia Humid to semi-arid flowerbuds subtropics Lowlands, Alocasia macrorrhiza bore Oceania Tubers Humid to mesic highlands Arracacia xanthorhiza arracacha Andes Tubers highlands Humid to mesic “tree collards”, Brassica oleracea Europe Leaves Highlands Humid to semi-arid “colocha” Low, high, Canna edulis achira Andes Tubers, shoots Humid to semi-arid subtropics Tubers, leaves Low, high, Colocasia esculenta taro, malanga Asia & stems of Humid to mesic subtropics some vars. Gynura crepioides Okinawa spinach Asia Leaves Lowlands Humid to mesic Oxalis tuberosa oca Andes Tubers Highlands Humid to semi-arid Low, high, Smallianthus sonchifolia yacon Andes Tubers Humid to semi-arid subtropics Tubers, leaves Lowlands, Xanthosoma sagittifolium cocoyam, taioba South America Humid to mesic & stems of subtropics some vars. GROUNDCOVERS Genus Species Common Name Origin Part Used Region Humidity Alternanthera sissoo Samba lettuce South America Leaves Lowlands Humid to mesic Tubers, leaves Low, high, Ipomoea batatas Sweet potato South America Humid to semi-arid cooked subtropics Highlands, Oenanthe javanica Water celery Asia Leaves Humid to mesic subtropics New Zealand Highlands, Tetragonia tetragonioides Pacific Leaves Humid to semi-arid spinach subtropics AQUATIC SPECIES Genus Species Common Name Origin Part Used Region Humidity Low, Eleaocharis dulcis Water chestnut Asia “Tubers” Aquatic subtropics Lowlands, Ipomoea aquatica Water spinach Asia Leaves Aquatic subtropics Low, high, Nasturtium officinale Watercress Eurasia Leaves Aquatic subtropics Low, high, Nelumbo nucifera Water lotus Asia Tubers, nuts Aquatic subtropics Low, Neptunia oleracea Water mimosa Asia Leaves Aquatic subtropics Highlands, Oenanthe javanica Water celery Asia Leaves Aquatic subtropics Low, high, Sagittaria graminea Arrowhead Asia Tubers Aquatic subtropics Books & Websites Botanica de los Cultivos Tropicales. Jorge Leon, 2000. ECHO Seed Bank Catalog. http://www.echonet.org/content/SeedBank Edible Water Gardens. Nick Romanowski 2009. Food Plants International www.foodplantsinternational.com Fruits of Warm Climates. Julia Morton 1987. Lost Crops of Africa Volume 2: Vegetables. National Research Council 2006. Lost Crops of the Incas. National Research Council 1989. Perennial Vegetables. Eric Toensmeier 2007. Plant Resources of Southeast Asia 8: Vegetables. PROSEA 1993. Plant Resources of Southeast Asia 9: Plants Yielding Non-Seed Carbohydrates. PROSEA 1996. Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Database. www.prota4u.org Tropical Legumes: Resources for the Future. National Research Council 1979. World Agroforestry Center Agroforestree Database. http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/resources/databases/agroforestree Seed & Plant Sources Agrohaitai www.agrohaitai.com B&T World Seed Service http://www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com/ Earthcare Enterprises www.earthcare.com.au ECHO Seed Bank & Nursery http://www.echonet.org/content/SeedBank Global Breadfruit www.globalbreadfruit.com Las Canadas www.bosquedeniebla.com.mx Lilypons Water Gardens www.lilypons.com Moore Water Gardens www.moorewatergardens.com Pond Plants and More www.pondplantsandmore.com .