10 Unique Perennial Vegetables For Zone 9

The warm and long growing seasons of those living in hardiness zone 9 and above is something to envy, especially if you live in temperate climates. But if you’re a little bored with your usual vegetables, I’ve some fascinating ones you can plant once and keep coming back to!

If you live in temperate climates, here are related articles that may interest you:

• The Top 10 Easy Perennial Vegetables to Plant
• 10 Best Perennial Vegetables That Will Thrive in Zone 3
• 10 Hardy Perennial Vegetables to Easily Grow in Zone 4
• 20 Best Perennial Vegetables to Grow in Zone 5 Easily
• 12 Best Perennial Vegetables to Plant in Zone 6
• 12 Perennial Vegetables To Grow Easily in Zone 7
• 10 Perennial Vegetables You Can Plant Easily in Zone 8

Here are 10 perennial vegetables you should try growing in zone 9:

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1. Arracacha (Arracacia Xanthorrhiza)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining soil high in Phosphorus.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: Cut the flowers off to allow the plant to dedicate most of its energy to growing the edible roots.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Arracacha tuberous roots 10 to 14 months after planting. Cook them out before consuming; additionally, you can also eat the young leaves and stems too.

2. Chinese artichokes/Crosne (Stachys Affinis)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: Apply mulch around the plant to keep the soil moist and cool.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Crosne after 5 to 7 months of planting, scooping them up gently from the soil as you would potatoes.

3. Cranberry Hibiscus (Hibiscus Acetosella)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: 
  • Pinch back leaf tips constantly to promote bushier growth.
  • Cut the plant down to the ground before winter. Don’t worry, it’ll come back again in spring!

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest the edible leaves regularly and prune back the bare branches to keep the plant growing for years to come.

4. Giant butterbur (Petasites Japonicus)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of indirect sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining soil.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: Restrict this plant in containers as it can rapidly spread due to its rhizomes and is known to shade out other plants when grown together.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest the leaves and flowers to Giant Butterbur, ensuring to cook them out thoroughly before consuming. Ensure to only eat them in moderation. 

5. Skirret (Sium Sisarum)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Moist, well-draining soil.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: None.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Skirret roots after 6 to 8 months of planting, ensuring to remove the tough core before cooking.

6. Musk Mallow (Malva Moschata)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining soil.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: Check within your local area whether Musk Mallow is considered invasive before planting in the ground. To be on the safe side, restrict them to container planting to prevent them from becoming too weedy.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest the leaves and flowers of Musk Mallow, ensuring to leave some behind. You can even use the leaves to thicken soups and sauces!

7. Oca (Oxalis Tuberosa)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Moist, well-draining, slightly acidic soil with pH 5.1 to 7.3.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: None.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Oca’s bulbous roots, ensuring to leave some behind. Dry them under the sun so they’ll turn sweet but you can also cook them as is after harvest. However, do not eat the leaves as they are high in oxalic acid which is bad for the body.

8. Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining, loamy or sandy soil filled with nutrients.
• Water:  Weekly watering, after the soil’s surface dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: Ensure the soil has warmed up completely before planting the seeds as they do best in 75 to 90°F.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Okra after 60 to 70 days of planting when they are about 2 to 3 inches long. Keep collecting them for up to 2 weeks using pruning shears before leaving some to seed for the next year’s growth.

9. Water Mimosa (Neptunia Oleracea)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining soil. Alternatively, you can grow them in water as they are a floating, aquatic plant.
• Water: Daily to weekly watering.
• Fertilizer: Unnecessary.
• Special Care: None.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? 

• Harvest all parts of the Water Mimosa, making sure to leave some behind to regrow for next year.
• Grow Water Mimosa in an isolated container or garden pond to prevent spreading into open waterways.

10. Welsh Onion/Bunching Onions (Allium Fistulosum)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining soil.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the soil’s surface dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: Pull out weeds on a weekly basis to prevent nutrient competition with the plant. Alternatively, you can apply mulch as well.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Welsh Onions once they are about as thick as a pencil and about 6 inches or so tall. Gently dig them up from the roots, but leave some behind to grow again the year after.

References:

1. Giant Butterbur (Petasites japonicus). (n.d.). Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://tualatinswcd.org/species/giant-butterbur/
2. Hibiscus acetosella (African Rosemallow, Cranberry Hibiscus, False Roselle, Maroon Mallow, Red Hibiscus, Red-leaved Hibiscus) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. (2019). Ncsu.edu. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hibiscus-acetosella/
3. HS635/MV102: Onion, Welsh—Allium fistulosum L. (n.d.). Edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MV102
4. HS667/MV134: Skirret—Sium sisarum L. (n.d.). Edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MV134
5. Jan 14, F. | H. 1313 | U., & Print, 2020 |. (n.d.). Okra. Home & Garden Information Center | Clemson University, South Carolina. https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/okra/
6. Neptunia oleracea – Plant Finder. (n.d.). Www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=280463&isprofile=1&basic=water%20mimosa
7. Oxalis tuberosa Oca PFAF Plant Database. (n.d.). Pfaf.org. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Oxalis+tuberosa
8. Plant database entry for Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza) with 4 images and 17 data details. (n.d.). Garden.org. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://garden.org/plants/view/177720/Arracacha-Arracacia-xanthorrhiza/
9. Plant database entry for Musk Mallow (Malva moschata) with 12 images, one comment, and 32 data details. (n.d.). Garden.org. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://garden.org/plants/view/77770/Musk-Mallow-Malva-moschata/
10. Stachys affinis Chinese Artichoke, Artichoke betony PFAF Plant Database. (n.d.). Pfaf.org. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Stachys+affinis