Permaculture, Homesteading, and Community Building // An Intro to Unusual Edible Plants (Part Two)

Hi everyone! I recently got some unusual edible plant seeds from a seed swap hosted by OAEC (The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center). I did some research about these plants before sowing the seeds, and want to share that information with you today. I love discovering new edible plants, especially perennial vegetables, that are different from your typical tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, ect that you usually find in a home garden. I get to grow plants with unique flavors that I've never experienced before, and most of the time these plants are much more resilient than the typical annual veggies that are grown.

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Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)

• A perennial food crop native to the Mediterranean
• A highly striking silver-leaved ornamental plant with stunning azure blue thistle flowers
• Mid-ribs of leaves are delicious cooked, they taste like artichoke hearts
• Cosmically delectable in baked gratins or pureed into spreadable pates or dipping sauces
• Grows up to 8ft tall and 5ft wide
• Needs full sun and rich soil, is drought tolerant once established

Red-Veined Dock (Rumex sanguineus)

• A perennial native to Europe, North Africa, and Southwest Asia
• The young leaves are tasty raw and the older leaves are good when cooked
• It grows 2-3 ft tall and 1 ft wide
• It needs full sun to partial shade, almost any soil, and regular water
• The beautiful dark red-veined bright green leaves make this a highly ornamental plant

Turkish Rocket (Bunias oreintalis)

• A perennial mustard originating in Southern Russia and the Caucasus region that stretches south into northeastern Turkey
• Has tasty edible leaves, flowering stems, flowers and shoots (like small florets of broccoli) with a strong cabbage/broccoli flavor
• Can be used cooked or raw
• Is drought-tolerant with a deep taproot that mines moisture and minerals, attracts beneficial insects, and can be used as an animal fodder
• Grows to 5ft, prefers full sun & moist soils

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Job's Tears (Coix lacyma-jobi)

• Native to East Asia and peninsular Malaysia
• Edible seeds are valued in Chinese medicine and mature seeds are used as a high protein grain and as decorative beads or in jewelry
• Grows 3-6ft tall and 2-5 ft wide and needs full sun to partial shade and regular water
• Can perennialize in frost-free locations or does well in large planter pots
• Is highly ornamental in edible landscapes

Great Globe Thistle (Echinops sphaerocephalus)

• The Great or White Globe Thistle is a Eurasian herbaceous perennial thistle looking much like the purple globe thistle, but with white perfectly spherical inflorescenses
• Grows to 7ft
• Prefers sunny locations
• Attracts many bees, butterflies, and beneficial wasps

White Sage (Salvia apiana)

• White sage is a 5 ft evergreen perennial. The flowers emerge in summer and are white with a little lavender
• This sage is native to the southern coast ranges of California, into inner mountains
• Salvia apiana likes sunny dry slopes, almost gravelly soil and no extra water after the first year
• White sage is hardy to about 15 F in the central coast ranges
• This is one of the sages used in sweat lodges in the past and apartments in the present

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