Edible Plants

Our planet is warming and there will be less freshwater available, what type of plants will we need to live from?

The characteristics of plants will need to be:
1 Drought/frost tolerant and
2 Perennial.

What else will I also need to do do?
1 protect the plants with Shade-cloth in hot times
2 Plastic hothouse during cooler times and for nurturing seedlings
3 As power outages become more common, you do not want to rely on pumps
4 For the above reason try to set up gravity fed water systems

The following plants are mostly Perennial, drought /or frost hardy.

All plants on this webpage are listed in this downloadable page for your shopping convenience.

What else do I need to know?

How to multiply the below plants.

For the majority just google PROPAGATION by STEM CUTTING and away you go.

Carbohydrates

  • Sweet Potato ‘Okinawan’ (Ipomoea batatas) – leave in the ground until required
  • Sweet Potato ‘Northern Star’ (Ipomea batatas) – leave in the ground until required
  • Greater Yam (Dioscorea alata) – leave in the ground until required
  • Sweet Potato ‘Beauregard’ Orange (Ipomea batatas) – leave in the ground until required
  • Jicama – Mexican Yam Bean (Pachyrhizus erosus) – Note: Leaf and seeds are toxic, eat legume part only.

Vegetables

  1. Any Volunteer Tomatoes
  2. Malabar Spinach (Basella alba)
  3. New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonoides)
  4. Okinawan Spinach (Gynura crepioides)
  5. Surinam Spinach (Talinum triangulare)
  6. Sambung Spinach (Gynura procumbens)
  7. Perrenial Capsican (Capsicum annuum)
  8. Egyption Onion Tree (Allium cepa var. Proliferum)
  9. Leek Perennial (Allium ampeloprasum var. Porrum)
  10. Seven Year Beans (Many available)
  11. Welsh Spring Onion (Allium fistulosum)
  12. Mexican Pepino (Solanum muricatum)
  13. Spineless Indian-Fig (Opuntia ficus-indica) Be careful of tiny spines

Proteins

In order of importance:

  1. Pidgeon Pea – (Cajanus cajan) 22% protein, hardy, commonly used to make Dahl from india
  2. Alfalfa/Luscerne ‘Sequel’ 15% protein before bluming (Medicago sativa)
  3. Katuk – Sweet Leaf (Sauropus androgynus F. Euphorbiaceae) 49% protein
  4. Moringa Tree (Only for astute gardeners, sensitive to temperature) 23% protein

Sugars

  1. Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris var altissima)
  2. Sugar Cane (Saccharum officinarum)

Salt

  1. Old Man Salt Bush (Atriplex nummularia)

Types of Herbs

  1. Basil “Sacred” (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
  2. Mother of Herb Plant (Coleus amboinicus)
  3. Indian Curry Leaf Tree (Murraya koenigii syn. Bergera koenigii)
  4. Mexican Tarragon (Tagetes lucida)
  5. Rosemary “Tuscan Blue” (Rosmarinus officinalis)
  6. Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)
  7. Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia)
  8. Curled Italian Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
  9. Onion Chive (Allium schoenoprasum)
  10. Welsh Spring Onion (Allium fistulosum)

For processing Herb Leaves you may need a Spice Grinder:

Cordial/Tea Plants

  1. Lemon Mirtle (Backhousia citriodora).
  2. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
  3. Sage “Pineapple” (Salvia elegans)
  4. Catmint/Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
  5. Hibiscus – Red Flower (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
  6. Cinnamon Mirtle (Backhousia myrtifolia)

Uncommon Edible Foods/Cactus

  1. Spineless Prickly Pear/Tiger Tongue (Opuntia Ellisiana)
  2. Agave (Agave americana)
  3. Aloa Vera (Syn. Aloe barbadensis, Aloe indica, Aloe perfoliata var. Vera)
  4. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
  5. Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
  6. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
  7. Moringa (Moringa spp.) or Drumstick Tree – likes alot of water, high in protein.
  8. Gotu Kola – Arthritus Herb (Centella asiatica)
  9. Thai Chilli (Capsicum annuum longum group ‘Thai’)
  10. Betel Leaf (Piper sarmentosum)
  11. Tagasaste (Cytisus proliferus) or tree lucerne

Medical

  1. Aloa Vera (Syn. Aloe barbadensis, Aloe indica, Aloe perfoliata var. Vera)
  2. Eucalyptus
  3. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
  4. Toothache plant

Weeds

  1. Wild Tobacco Tree – for bush toilet paper
  2. Chickweed 16% protein (collect in winter, dry and use as powder, is equal to superfood)

Fruits

  1. Wild Lemon Tree (Citrus jambhiri)
  2. Macadamia Nut Tree (4 varieties to choose from)
  3. Mango (Any variety)
  4. Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyna)

Chookfood Plants

  1. Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
  2. Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)
  3. Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
  4. Lucerne ‘Sequel’ (Medicago sativa Syn. Alfalfa)
  5. Silverbeet (Beta vulgaris)
  6. Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan)
  7. Chicory ‘Puna II’ (Cichorium intybus)
  8. Tagasaste (Cytisus proliferus)