Each season, I aim to add more edible perennials to my garden. Where I live, we have very hot summers and mild winters, so the challenge is finding perennial crops that survive our hot, dry summers. Over time, I’ve curated this list of 25 edible perennials (we actually eat!) that thrive in the Arizona desert, transforming my garden into an edible paradise.
Unlike annual plants, which complete their life cycle in one season and must be replanted, perennials can live for many years. This means more food with less effort and expense.
An added benefit is that once established, most perennials have little upkeep–usually only seasonal pruning and amending with compost. And finally, many edible perennials are high-value crops that can be grown for much less than they cost in the grocery store.
Perennials are often defined in different ways. For this article, these are the criteria I’m using.
A species that lives out its life cycle over 3 or more years.
The ability to survive winter and summer
Harvest in a way that doesn’t kill the plant (Some of these root crops are plant/replant perennials, meaning they are dug up for harvest, but then some portion is replanted in the same or another hole, keeping the plant alive to produce again the following year.)
Although I’m growing nearly 40 different types of fruit trees, I’m
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16 Comments
How about sage?
I wish u teach us how to cook them too
Awesome video!.. been waiting For a Video made about this topic of perennials.
What about perennial placement With co pairing vegetables?
Thank you, Angela for all you do I appreciate you.
Hello from Zone 10 South Florida, Angela!🎄🌟
This is an awesome information Angela!
Amazing variety – some of them I haven’t heard of! Can most of these also be grown in containers? I’m particularly interested in the grapes 🍇.
Thank you for your informative videos – I always learn so much!
You are my gardening hero!!!
Wow! First I've heard of this many perrenials – I understand I live in the high desert, so will have to look up and compare elevations.
I will be looking through your videos for uses of moringa.
I really appreciate all the valuable information you pack into these videos! I am hoping to finally start a garden in 2024. Do you have a video and/or blog post on how to develop a long-term plan for building up a garden for someone just getting started? I won't have the funds to do everything all at once, but I still want to be intentional and strategic about what I do at the beginning so I can add to it as I go.
For the tomato, during the cold season, do we need to cut them back or just let them flower and fruit?
I'm moving to Las Vegas next summer so this is helpful.
How about rhubarb or winged beans? How do you protect passion fruit from frost? Lotsa mulching?
You've got me thinking. I live in zone 8b/9a but our winters are unpredictable. How well do plants like bell peppers and eggplants perform after more than one or two years of production?
Do you have a local source for pigeon peas? I am intrigued by these but wasn't able to find seeds last year. Also, if you were planting asparagus from seed (as I am – they are currently germinating) would you choose in ground or in a grow pot for the first year?
We have been reclassified here (at 4,000 feet in Las Cruces, NM) a half zone higher, though we are still in the zone 8 range. This winter I am pruning my chiles (in an elevated growing box) way back this winter and covering them, we will see if any survive to next year. We will likely get our first hard freeze this weekend, so we'll see!
Thank you for the helpful tips. Which of these plants grow well in grow bags?