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Of all the vegetables, perennials are my absolute favourite. They keep on giving, year after year! Unlike annuals, which you have to replant every season, perennials stay and grow. Some, like aspargus, provide you with an amazing harvest for over 20 years. Yes, you need to wait a couple of years before it gets to full production, but it’s worth it.

Why You Should Grow Perennial Vegetables

these two chokos are ready for planting
Start growing some choko today! Grab a fruit from the market or shop, leave it on the bench, and plant once it starts growing. It’s that easy!

Queensland doesn’t have the easiest climate for growing annuals. Lettuce bolts, it’s too hot for spinach, and don’t even think about broccoli or cauliflower. Especially if you prefer organic gardening! There are, of course, some annuals that don’t mind the heat and humidity. Asian vegetables are an example.

elle very excited with the first homegrown asparagus of the season
Fresh asparagus for lunch, with a side of cherry tomatoes and baked Jerusalem artichoke? Yes, please!

But what if you could plant out an entire garden and food supply once – and never struggle again? This has been my dream for years. A garden full of fruit trees and perennial vegetables that practically look after themselves. They do their thing, and I walk around snacking my way to health.

Nice!

More Reasons for Growing Perennial Veggies

brazilian spinach sissoo alternanthera sissoo
Brazilian spinach is rich in antioxidants and grows best in partial shade, making it a perfect understory plant in your food forest or garden.

Here are some more reasons why every garden should be packed full of perennial veg:

  • Save tonnes of time and effort
  • Less work, more rewards. Once they’re established, perennial veggies require much less maintenance than annuals. You don’t have to replant them every year, for starters.
  • Perennials tend to be more resistant to local pests and diseases
  • More adaptable to our Queensland climate
  • They’re incredibly helpful for your soil and biodiversity. Their deep root systems help to break up hard soils and improve your soil’s structure over time. I also love them for chop n drop – a ridiculously lazy way of mulching your garden.
  • Less need for fertilizers and pesticides
  • More food! Many perennials offer longer harvesting periods, providing fresh produce over several months

Perennial Vegetable List for Queensland

  1. Asparagus
  2. Sweet potato
  3. Jerusalem artichoke
  4. Chives
  5. Choko
  6. Betel Leaf
  7. Brazilian spinach
  8. Ceylon spinach
  9. Kang Kong (water spinach)
  10. Sweet leaf
  11. Moringa
  12. Taro

Perennial Veg In Detail (With Photos)

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

asparagus in the raised garden bed

Asparagus can produce for up to 20 years once established. It prefers well-drained soil and a sunny spot. Patience is key, as it takes a few years to start full production. Expect your first harvest in the second year. You’ll never want to go back to shop-bought asparagus ever again!

Ours never make it to the kitchen. We eat them all raw, straight from the plant. I’m planning another big patch because we never get enough!

Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)

sweet potato tuber in mulch

Sweet potatoes are a versatile and easy-to-grow veggie. They thrive in Queensland’s climate! This plant will provide you with years of bountiful harvests. They also provide ground cover, reducing weed growth and improving soil health.

Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

Jerusalem Artichoke
Besides their edible tubers, these plants are also a great summer windbreak. They’re useful for protecting your veggie patch.

Jerusalem artichoke is known for its edible tubers and gorgeous flowers. It’s pretty and delicious! It’s undemanding and can grow in various soil types. See my photos of the Jerusalem artichoke!

You can use the tubers raw in salads, or use them as you would potatoes. They’re really yummy!

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Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

chives and multiplying bunching onion
A patch of chives with multiplying onion ‘White Bunching’

Chives is awesome. It doesn’t get much more awesome. This herb is so tough and so delicious – everyone needs at least one. It’s also a great hit in my Airgarden. Grow it in pots, as a border, or in your garden beds as a companion plant. Plant it everywhere and then add it to every meal!

Choko (Sechium edule)

a choko on the vine ready to pick
The choko is often mistaken for a vegetable but it’s actually a fruit. It’s related to cucumbers and melons, and when cooked, it takes on the flavor of the foods it’s cooked with, making it incredibly versatile in the kitchen.

Choko is a versatile and hardy perennial vegetable, perfect for Queensland gardens. It’s a vigorous climber and needs support like a trellis or fence. Everything is edible, from the fruit to leaves and shoots. See more choko photos!

Betel Leaf (Piper sarmentosum)

betel leaf piper sarmentosum

Betel Leaf is a perennial ground cover ideal for Queensland gardens. It has glossy, heart-shaped leaves that are commonly used in Asian cuisine for their spicy flavour. You can eat the leaves raw in salads, use them as wraps for snacks, or cook them in various dishes.

Betel Leaf thrives in partial shade and well-drained soil. It is a vigorous grower which can get a little out of hand. It’s a great groundcover and understory plant!

Brazilian Spinach (Alternanthera sissoo)

brazilian spinach alternanthera sissoo

Ceylon spinach

ceylon spinach

Kang Kong (Water Spinach)

kang kong water spinach taking cuttings for the airgarden

Sweet leaf (Sauropus androgynous)

sweet leaf sauropus androgynus

Sweet leaf is also known as tropical asparagus, and it does taste a little bit similar. It is very well suited to warm climates like Queensland. A word of warning… Sweet leaf is very, very vigorous in humid climates. Here in the Pioneer Valley, it grows wild! You may need to keep it in a pot if you don’t want it getting out of hand.

I don’t mind it getting out of hand. It’s easily chopped back and regrows readily. The chopped branched and leaves provide some nice mulch for the plants around it. It easily grows from cuttings, so you may find those clippings growing roots.

Sweet leaf is super low maintenance in semi-shade. Its leaves are very nutritious – full of minerals and vitamins like potassium, calcium, A, B1, and C (source). It’s quite delicious, too, with a delicate, pea-like flavour. Plant it as a food hedge, in pots, or in the garden.

Eat the leaves raw or add to sandwiches and salads. You can add them to stir-fries, eggs, stews – the sky’s the limit.

Moringa (Moringa oleifera)

moringa oleifera with flowers drumstick horseradish tree

Moringa is often called the Drumstick Tree or Horseradish Tree. It is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree valued for its nutritional leaves. In Queensland gardens, it’s a great choice for its adaptability and ease of growth.

The leaves can be used fresh or dried in soups, teas, and salads for their high vitamin and mineral content. Moringa prefers well-drained soil and full sun.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta)

taro

A staple in many tropical gardens! Taro is a must-have perennial for Queensland. It’s known for its large, elephant-ear-like leaves and thrives in moist, fertile soil. It’s ideal for wetter parts of the garden. Use it in a similar way to potatoes. Taro does need to be cooked before eating.

What Is a Perennial Vegetable?

A perennial vegetable is a type of plant that lives for more than two years. This is unlike annuals, which complete their life cycle in a single season, or biennials, which take two seasons.

Perennial vegetables can live for several years, some even for decades. This longevity means once they are established, they will continue to produce edible parts – be it leaves, stems, roots, or tubers – for many seasons.

What are your favourite perennials to grow in Queensland? Let me know in the comments!

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