The pandemic created 18.3 million new gardeners, most of whom are millennials. With this surge in home gardening, many are looking to diversify their plots with unique and exciting crops.
Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or a novice, these 15 unusual vegetables will add a splash of intrigue to your garden and plate.
1. Cucamelons: Tiny Watermelon Lookalikes
Cucamelons, also known as mouse melons or Mexican sour gherkins, are grape-sized fruits that resemble miniature watermelons. These adorable cucurbits have a crisp texture and tangy cucumber flavor. Growing on fast-climbing vines, cucamelons are perfect for small spaces and containers.
2. Kohlrabi: The Alien Vegetable
Kohlrabi, with its UFO-like appearance, belongs to the cabbage family but tastes like a mild, nutty turnip. Plant kohlrabi in early spring or fall for best results.
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3. Ground Cherries: Nature’s Candy
Related to tomatoes and tomatillos, ground cherries produce small, golden fruits encased in papery husks. Their flavor is a delightful mix of pineapple, strawberry, and tomato.
These low-maintenance plants are perfect for impatient gardeners, as they mature in a single growing season.
4. Purple Asparagus: Regal & Rare
Purple asparagus is not only a feast for the eyes but also sweeter and more tender than its green counterpart. This royal-hued vegetable is rich in anthocyanins, offering potential health benefits.
Plant asparagus in a permanent bed for years of colorful harvests.
5. Litchi Tomato: The Thorny Surprise
Despite its name, the litchi tomato (Solanum sisymbriifolium) is neither a litchi nor a tomato. Use them raw or cooked in pies and jams for a unique twist.
6. Romanesco: Fractal Feast
Romanesco, a member of the brassica family, is nature’s mathematical marvel. Its vivid lime-green spirals and spikes make it a showstopper in any garden. With a nutty flavor similar to broccoli, romanesco is as delicious as it is beautiful.
7. Egyptian Walking Onions: The Nomads of the Garden
These peculiar onions, also known as tree onions, earn their name from their unique growth habit. Instead of flowers, they produce bulblets at the top of their stems. As the stems bend under the weight, new plants sprout wherever the bulblets touch soil, “walking” across your garden.
8. Jelly Melon: The Horned Cucumber
Native to South Africa, jelly melon (Cucumis metuliferus) is a cucumber relative with a twist. Its spiny, orange-yellow exterior houses a lime-green interior with a flavor reminiscent of banana or kiwi.
Scoop out the juicy pulp with a spoon for a refreshing treat.
9. Sunchokes: The Native Sunflower Tuber
Sunchokes, or Jerusalem artichokes, are native North American plants related to sunflowers. These perennial plants produce edible tubers with a nutty, artichoke-like flavor.
Be warned: sunchokes can spread aggressively, so plant them in a contained area.
10. Malabar Spinach: The Heat-Loving Climber
Malabar spinach isn’t true spinach, but a heat-tolerant vine with fleshy, spinach-like leaves. Its red stems and dark green leaves make it an attractive edible landscaping option. Use the mild-flavored leaves raw in salads or cooked in stir-fries.
11. Cardoon: The Architectural Edible
Cardoon, a close relative of the artichoke, is grown for its striking, silvery-green leaves and thick stalks. Blanch the stems before cooking to reduce bitterness and enhance their delicate, artichoke-like flavor.
12. Oca: The Colorful Tuber
Oca, a wood sorrel relative, produces small, colorful tubers that can be eaten raw or cooked like potatoes. Plant oca in spring for a unique autumn harvest.
13. Celeriac: The Ugly Duckling of Vegetables
Don’t let celeriac’s gnarly appearance fool you – this root vegetable is a culinary gem. With a mild celery flavor and a texture similar to potatoes, celeriac is versatile in the kitchen. Mash it, grate it raw, or add it to soups for a subtle, earthy flavor.
14. Shiso: The Japanese Flavor Powerhouse
Shiso, or perilla, is a leafy herb commonly used in Japanese cuisine. Its unique flavor profile combines notes of mint, basil, and cinnamon. Grow green or red varieties to add a pop of color and flavor to your culinary creations.
15. Yardlong Beans: The Overachievers
Despite their name, yardlong beans typically grow to about 18 inches. These vigorous climbers produce slender pods that taste similar to green beans but with a slightly sweeter, nuttier flavor. Harvest them young for the best texture and taste.
Source:
1. National Gardening Association
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.