~PERENNIAL EDIBLES~
GRAPES
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Grape
Vitis vinifera 'Black Mannukah'
Vitaceae
Lifespan: Hardy perennial
Origin: West Asia and Iraq
Height/width: 15-20' tall.
Culture: Full sun to part sun. Well-drained soil. Regular water.
Description: Clusters of seedless dark purple/black grapes. Sweet. Ripe in late summer to early fall. Table and wine grape. Eat fresh or dried as raisins. Cocoa colored bark. Green leaves in the summer and autumnal colors in the fall. Ornamental vine. Great as a wall accent, or climbing over an arbor or trellis.
Harvest time: August to September
Grape
Vitis vinifera 'Emeryville Pink'
Vitaceae
Lifespan: Perennial vine
Origin: CA native
Height/width: 6-8' tall
Culture: Full sun to partial shade. Regular water. Can handle fog.
Description: Medium-sized/large pink grapes with tiny seeds. Full of flavor. High yield. Coastal garden.
Fruiting time: late mid-season
OLIVES
Mission Olive
Olea europea 'Mission'
Oleaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: CA native
Height/width: 40-50' tall.
Culture: Semi drought tolerant. Does well in hot climates.
Description: Gray-green leaves. Self-fruitful. Ornamental tree. Edible fruit.
Harvest time: Fruit harvested in late October- November for food, mid-December- February for oil.
PINEAPPLE GUAVAS
Guava, Pineapple
Acca sellowiana/ Feijoa sellowiana 'Unique'
Myrtaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Argentina and Brazil.
Height/width: 9-15' tall, 5-15' wide.
Culture: Full sun to part shade. Low water. Drought tolerant.
Description: Evergreen subtropical ornamental. Small tree or large shrub. Can be hedged. Both fruits and flowers are edible. Juicy fruit tastes like pineapple and pear. Flavor is tastier in cooler regions.
Flowering/fruiting time: May to June/fruit ripe by autumn
POMEGRANATES
Pomegranate
Punica granatum 'Mae'
Punicaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: California (U.C. Davis)
Height/width:
Culture:
Description: Tangy, sweet-sour taste. Productive. Mid-sized to large red fruit. Juice.
Flowering/Fruiting time:
Harvest Time:
Pomegranate
Punica granatum 'Sweet'
Punicaceae
Lifespan: Deciduous perennial.
Origin: Middle East
Height/width: 12-25' tall.
Culture: Full sun. Drought tolerant. Great in many areas , even places with cool summers. Requires about 100-150 chilling hours.
Description: Glossy leaves. Ornamental shrub/tree. Pinkish fruit. Quite sweet. Delicious fresh, in juice, cider, jelly or jam. Can grow in container, espalier. Self-fruiting. Hummingbird attractor.
Flowering/Fruiting time: Orange-red flowers in late spring. Harvest fruits in late summer.
Harvesting Time: Fall
STRAWBERRIES
Alpine Strawberry
Fragaria vesca 'Alpine'
Rosaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Europe
Height/width: 1-2' tall and wide
Culture: Full sun- semi-shade. Moist soil. Well-drained soil. Clay tolerant.
Description: Great border plant, has no runners. Small, beige/white fragrant fruit; sweet taste.
Fruiting/Flowering time: into winter
Ozark Strawberry
Fragaria ananassa 'Ozark Beauty'
Rosaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Arkansas
Height/width: 8-10" tall, 8-12" wide.
Culture: Full sun. Well-drained, moist soil. Cold-hardy. Frost sensitive.
Description: Everbearing. Large yields. Huge, bright red, wedge-shaped berries. Sugary sweet. Great for snacking, jams, jellies, preserves, pies. Self-pollinating. Spreads by runners, grows in mounds. Self-pollinating. Leaf spot and leaf scorch resistant. Groundcover. Containers, raised beds.
Fruiting time: Late spring though early fall.
Quinault Strawberry
Fragaria ananassa 'Quinault'
Rosaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Washington
Height/width: 8-10" tall, 18" wide.
Culture: Full sun. Well-drained, moist soil.
Description: Juicy, sweet, delicious fruit. Large red berries. Good for snacking, preserves. Popular everbearing variety. Disease free.
Containers, raised beds.
Flowering time: Late spring- fall
Seascape Strawberry
Fragaria ananassa 'Seascape'
Rosaceae
Lifespan: Perennial hybrid
Origin: CA native
Height/width: 12" tall, 2'-3' wide.
Culture: Full sun to part-shade. Well-drained, moist soil. Heat tolerant.
Description: Prolific. Large, delicious berries. Great for snacking on or freezing. Fertilize seasonally. Disease resistant. Day neutral/everbearing. Prostrate. Attracts butterflies. Raised beds, containers, edging plant, groundcover.
Fruiting time: Spring through fall.
Sequoia Strawberry
Fragaria ananassa 'Sequoia'
Rosaceae
Lifespan: Long-lived perennial hybrid
Origin: CA native
Height/width: 6-8" tall, 12" wide
Culture: Full sun. Warm climate. Well-drained, moist soil. Likes sandy soil with added organic material. Semi drought tolerant. Frost sensitive.
Description: Produces runners, spreads. Huge, juicy red berries. Sweet. Good for jellies, jams, preserves, snacking, freezing. Self-pollinating. Junebearer. Powdery mildew resistant. Container, raised bed.
Fruiting time: June through September.
ADDITIONAL PERENNIAL EDIBLES
Cherimoya
Annonaceae
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Cape Gooseberry
Physalis peruviana
Solanaceae
Lifespan: Short-lived perennial shrub.
Origin: Andes mountains
Height/width: 1-3' tall
Culture: Full sun. Well-drained soil. Full sun. Reseeds. Water in the growing season, not once fruiting.
Description: Golden/orange husked-covered berries. Ripe fruit often drops to the ground. Eaten fresh, in jams or desserts. Can dry like raisins. Easy to grow. Okay to cutback. Fruits on new growth. Also known as ground cherries.
Fruiting/Flowering time: Fruits most of the year.
Chilean Guava
Ugni molliae 'Flambeau'
Myrtaceae
Lifespan: Perennial evergreen.
Origin: Chile
Height/width: 5' tall, 5' wide.
Culture: Full sun to partial shade. Well-drained, moist soil. Cold tolerant.
Description: Cream, green, pink variegated foliage. Aromatic leaves. Red stems. Tiny, white/pink, bell-shaped flowers. Fragrant, small red fruit with strawberry-like flavor. Taste great fresh, in jams, jellies. Slow-growing, dense shrub. Hedge, cottage garden, border, patio, container.
Flowering time: Summer
Jambolan
Syzygium cumini
Myrtaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial
Origin: Andaman Islands, Burma, Ceylon and India.
Height/width: 40-100' tall
Culture: Well-drained soil. Can tolerate wet areas. Frost tender when young.
Description: Foliage is dark salmon pink when young, becoming deep glossy green as it ages. Leaves used for feed. Fast growing. Ornamental shade tree. Oval, berry-sized fruit is black when ripe. Fruit is eaten raw, or in jam, sauces, tarts, wine and vinegar. Great source of vitamins A & C. Seed is used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Water resistant wood.
Flowering/Fruiting time: Early-mid spring/ Late spring-early summer
Macadamia Nut
Macadamia integrifolia
Protaceae
Lifespan: Evergreen perennial.
Origin: Queensland, Australia
Height/width: 30-40' tall, just as wide.
Culture: Full sun to part sun. Well-drained soil. Can handle drought. Frost tender when young, hardy down to 25°F when mature. Not tolerant of wind.
Description: Ornamental. Bee pollinator. Nut (seed) eaten cooked or raw. Added to desserts. Oil from seed also used. Woodland garden. Slow-growing.
Fruiting time: late fall- spring
Pepino Dulce
Solanum muricatum
Solanaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: South American native, Andean foothills
Height/width: 3' tall/5+' wide
Culture: Full sun. Regular water. Can take temperature as low as 28°F.
Description: Evergreen shrub. 3+ feet tall. Fruit has a sweet, cucumber and honeydew flavor. Self-pollinator.
Fruiting/Flowering time: Fruits September-November. Ripe when skin turns cream and has purple stripes.
Red Tree Tomato
Cyphomandra betacea
Solanaceae
Lifespan: 5-12 years
Origin: Andes Mountains in South America
Height/width: 6-12' tall
Culture: Frost tender; especially protect during winter when young.
Description: Tangy tomato/fruity meat, (skin inedible) Does well in Bay Area's mild winters.
Fruiting/Flowering time: ripens late fall and winter; doesn't fruit until 2nd year.
Rock Samphire
Crithmum maritimum
Apiaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: North African and European coastal bluffs
Height/width: 1' tall, 1' wide.
Culture: Full sun. Well-drained, dry soil.
Description: Fleshy leaves high in Vitamin C. Added to salads, pickled, sautéed. Used medicinally as a diuretic and digestive aid. Self-fertile. Rock garden, garden bed, coastal garden. Leaves and seed pods are edible.
Flowering time: June to August. August to October (seeds ripen).
Sunchoke
Helianthus tuberosus
Asteraceae
Lifespan: PerennialOrigin: eastern North America
Height/width: Up to 10-15' tall
Culture: Full sun
Description: Edible tubers. More crunchy and sweeter than potatoes. Mild artichoke flavor. A raw substitute for water chestnuts. Has no starch. Also called Jerusalem Artichoke.
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Surinam Cherry
Eugenia uniflora
Myrtaceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Brazil and Guyana
Height/width: 15'+ tall
Culture: Hardy to 25 degrees; protect during winter when young. Easy to grow.
Description: Evergreen, ornamental. Small tree, large shrub.Edible fruits liken to cherries. High in Vitamin C, Vitamin A source. Medicinal. Also called Pitanga. Tropical. Hedge or screen plant.
Fruiting/Flowering time: Fruit is maroon when ripe. Sweet when dark red/black, tart when green to orange.
Tree Collard
Brassica oleracea
Brassicaceae
Lifespan: Short-lived perennial
Height/width: 6-11' tall, 3' wide.
Culture: Full sun to part shade.
Description: Evergreen. Leaf turns purple when weather is cooler, (fall, winter, spring). Sweeter leaf than traditional collards. Prolific. Great source of calcium, beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2, C. Cut to allow branching.
Yacon
Smallanthus sonchifolius
Asteraceae
Lifespan: Perennial
Origin: Andes Mountains in Peru
Height/width: 6.5'
Culture: Full sun. Leaves are frost tender; tubers can perish if ground freezes. Easy to grow.
Description: Crispy tubers with apple/watermelon flavor. "Apple of the Earth"
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