7 Quick and Easy Edible Climbing Plants for Queensland Gardens

A garden in Queensland needs tough, fast-growing plants that can handle the heat and produce food without too much effort. Climbing plants are perfect for the job. They take up less horizontal space, grow fast, and give you a big harvest in no-time.

Some of these vines can start producing in as little as 60 days, while others feed the soil, provide shade, and even work as animal fodder. Whether you want greens, beans, or fruit, these seven edible climbers will keep your garden thriving and your plate full.

1. Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis)

Passionfruit vines grow like crazy, covering fences and trellises (or a chook pen in my case) in no time. They can grow up to five meters a year, and when they’re happy, they can live up to 10 years.

A happy passionfruit vine can produce 20-30kg of fruit a year – plenty for you, your family, and the neighbours! Or the possums, of course. The fruit is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, making it good for you, too.

To get the most out of your passionfruit, make sure it has a strong trellis or other structure to grow on. It loves regular fertiliser, and plenty of sun. My vine is very content growing near the chook pen – it gets as much free chicken manure as it wants!

Besides food, it prefers deep, well-draining soil but will grow just about anywhere. Give it a deep layer of mulch (affiliate link) to keep the roots cool, and it will reward you with great harvests. Keep an eye on old vines. Production slows down once they get five to seven years old, and it might be worth planting a replacement.

2. Malabar Spinach (Basella alba or rubra)

If you’ve ever tried to grow spinach in QLD, you know the frustration. If it grows, it bolts almost straight away. (Although I’m having some success with growing perennial spinach in autumn and winter!) That’s where Malabar spinach, aka Ceylon spinach, comes in. It loves the heat and the humidity!

I love growing plenty of Malabar spinach plants. The picture above shows one of my plants growing up a coconut in the coconut circle. It is very easy to propagate, so there is no reason not to grow tonnes of it. Propagate Malabar spinach from cuttings or seed – both are easy.

Malabar spinach leaves are thick, a bit tangy, and yummy in stir-fries, curries, stews, or soups. They can be a bit gelatinous, so it might be an acquired taste. They’re incredibly productive, however, and very good for you. It’s high in vitamin A, C, iron, and calcium. It’s also a good source of soluble fibre. (Source)

Malabar spinach prefers a partially shaded spot, especially in hot Queensland. It likes regular watering and a thick layer of mulch (affiliate link). It doesn’t necessarily need support to grow on. It will just as happily ramble along the ground or trail from a hanging basket. Keep them moist though – they don’t like drying out.

3. Snake Bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis)

Snake beans love Queensland summers and grow like mad! Kids absolutely adore growing this vegetable with its snake-like pods that grow up to 60cm long. They start producing pods after only 60 days and keep going for months. Pick regularly to get even more pods.

Snake beans are legumes, which means they double as a nitrogen-fixer for your soil. The pods are high in protein, vitamins A, C, iron, and potassium – well worth adding to many of your meals. (Source) They actually thrive in Queensland’s hot weather and don’t like the cold at all. We can generally grow snake beans year-round, but if you have a cold season, plant them in spring or summer.

Make sure it has a sturdy support to grow on – it gets heavy!

4. Cucamelon (Melothria scabra)

Cucamelons look like tiny watermelons but taste like delicious, fresh cucumbers. They climb fast, fruit in about 65-75 days, and keep going all season. Unlike your regular cucumbers, the cucamelon doesn’t struggle with the heat and humidity, and it readily self-seeds – free plants for you! Do keep an eye on it, however, because it can cover great areas is no-time.

Pick them young for a crunchy snack (which is how I prefer to eat them), or leave them a little longer for perfect pickles. They’re amazing in salads, and kids love them!

5. Madagascar Bean (Lablab purpureus)

Madagascar bean grows fast, fixes nitrogen, and produces a bunch of protein-rich beans. It’s drought-tolerant, thrives in poor soil, and will keep climbing for years if you let it.

The bean is delicious fresh, as well as dried. You can also eat the pods and leaves, but they need cooking before consumption. They’re loaded with iron, fibre, and protein. (Source) This plant handles extreme heat and improves your soil fertility, so it’s an excellent choice for food forests and permaculture gardens.

Give it a strong trellis where it can thrive for years and you’ll never be without beans!

6. Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)

If you want a climber that does it all, winged beans are the way to go. Pods, leaves, flowers, and even the roots are edible, making this one of the most useful vines you can grow. The crisp, nutty pods taste great raw or cooked, the leaves work like spinach, and the roots – similar to jicama – are sweet and crunchy.

The real standout, though, is the seeds, which pack a whopping 39% protein – more than soybeans! (Source) Winged beans love heat and humidity, and once they take off, they grow fast and produce like crazy. The best things is that it’s perennial, too!

The winged bean will thrive in a warm, humid spot with a decent fence or trellis to climb.

7. Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)

Sweet potatoes are usually grown for their delicious, nutrient-packed tubers, but the vines and leaves are just as valuable. The young leaves taste like mild spinach and are great in stir-fries or soups. Meanwhile, the vines climb trellises, spread across the ground, and naturally suppress weeds while keeping the soil cool.

This fast-growing plant can reach up to 4 meters in a season, even in poor soil. The leaves are rich in vitamins A, C, and B6, and the vines make excellent fodder for chickens and livestock. Horses love them! Make sure you fence them out, or they’ll destroy your vine.

Let is climb a fence or trellis, or just cover the ground as a living mulch – this is a must-have for every Queensland garden!

Final Words

Climbing plants work harder than regular crops – they save space, grow fast, and provide tonnes of food with minimal effort. They’ll turn any bare fence, trellis, or pergola into a thriving, edible garden!

If you’ve got a favourite climbing plant that’s worked well in your garden, let me know in the comments!