10 Fascinating Perennial Vegetables to Grow in Zone 10

We may not like the hotter summer in hardiness zone 10, but boy do a lot of your favorite vegetables and fruits do! But why not mix things up a bit and add in some new perennial plants into your mix?

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 interesting perennial vegetables to grow in zone 10:

Amazon disclaimer: (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

1. American Lotus (Nelumbo Lutea)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Wet soil filled with nutrients.
• Water: Daily to weekly watering, ensuring a constant shallow pool of water for the plant to float in.
• Fertilizer: Unnecessary.
• Special Care: Restrict this plant in a container or isolated garden pond to prevent it from spreading aggressively to open waterways.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? 

• Harvest American Lotus frequently once they are established. Because of their rapid growth, they will quickly take up all available space. Alternatively, you can discard at least ¾ of the overall plant population you have to maintain it at a manageable size.
• Don’t collect wild American Lotus in your local area as they may be legally protected like in Michigan. 

2. Cassava (Manihot Esculenta)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining, slightly acidic soil with pH 5.5 to 6.5.
• 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 Cassava 9 to 12 months after planting, ensuring to dig the tubers up gently to not damage them.

3. Chaya (Cnidoscolus Chayamansa McVaugh)

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: Prune the branches back yearly after harvesting the leaves to encourage new growth.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Chaya leaves after a year of planting or when it has established. Ensure to use gloves during collection to avoid the stinging hairs on the stem. Also, always cook Chaya leaves thoroughly before consuming as the raw version is toxic. 

4. Green Papaya (Carica Papaya)

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. Alternatively, you can also apply slow-release fertilizers every 3 months in spring and summer.
• Special Care: 
  • This plant is sensitive to extreme changes like too hot, too dry, and strong wind, resulting in less yield. Water it as needed and plant in protected areas for its best growth.  
  • Cold temperatures below 60°F is a big no-no for this plant. The root’s growth will be stunted and flowers won’t develop.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Despite it being a fruit, green papaya can be harvested before it ripens and used as a vegetable.

5. Ginger (Zingiber Officinale)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining soil filled with nutrients. 
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant. Alternatively, apply slow-release, all-purpose fertilize every 3 months in spring and summer. 
• Special Care: Always ensure the plant is constantly covered with soil and pull out any weeds to prevent nutrient competition. 

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Ginger after the leaves dry out and the stems fall off. Dig them up gently and leave them to ‘cure’/dry out for 3-5 days before use.

6. Katuk/Sweet Leaf Bush (Sauropus Andryogynus)

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: None.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Katuk leaves after 55 to 70 days of planting. You can also collect the young shoots as the leaves start to unfurl.

7. Lima Bean (Phaseolus Lunatus)

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. You’ll need to water this plant more frequently once it starts flowering to encourage pod development.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: If you’re planting the pole-type variety. Ensure to provide trellis support for the plant to climb up and grow better.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Lima Beans once the green pods look plump and full, which may be after 65 days or more of planting.

8. Pigeon Pea (Cajanus Cajan)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining, slightly acidic soil with pH 5 to 7.
• Water: Biweekly watering, but the plant can tolerate drought conditions after it has been established.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant; otherwise, it’s unnecessary.
• Special Care: Remove older, mature pods that were not harvested and prune the branches to encourage new growth.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Pigeon Peas after 140 days of planting, ensuring the pods are a good green and red color.

9. Watercress (Nasturtium Officinale)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Moist, slightly acidic soil with pH 6.5 to 7.5.
• Water: Daily to weekly watering, ensuring a constant pool of shallow water.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant. Alternatively, you can use an all-purpose diluted liquid fertilizer.
• Special Care: You can grow this plant in an isolated garden pond with shallow water, away from open waterways to prevent it from spreading.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Watercress once they are about 8 inches tall before they flower, ensuring to cut them back down to 4 inches for future harvest. Also, never collect and consume wild Watercress as they may be contaminated.

10. Winged Bean (Psophocarpus Tetragonolobus)

What are its basic care needs?

• Sun: 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight.
• Soil: Well-draining soil filled with nutrients.
• Water: Weekly watering, after the surface’s soil dries out.
• Fertilizer: Yearly application of compost around the plant.
• Special Care: Place stakes or poles near the plant to support its climbing tendencies for better development.

Any precautions or notes on growing this vegetable? Harvest Winged Beans after 60 to 90 days of planting and store somewhere cool or use immediately.

References:

1. American Lotus – Nelumbo lutea | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. (n.d.). Plants.ces.ncsu.edu. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nelumbo-lutea/common-name/american-lotus/
2. Cassava (manioc) | Diseases and Pests, Description, Uses, Propagation. (2019). Psu.edu. https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/cassava-manioc/infos
3. Ginger | Diseases and Pests, Description, Uses, Propagation. (n.d.). Plantvillage.psu.edu. https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/ginger/infos
4. Growing Lima Beans | Horticulture and Home Pest News. (2019). Iastate.edu. https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/2001/5-11-2001/limabeans.html
5. HS578/MV045: Chaya—Cnidoscolus chayamansa McVaugh. (n.d.). Edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MV045
6. Native Plant of the Week: American Lotus | Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. (n.d.). https://mbgna.umich.edu/native-plant-of-the-week-american-lotus/
7. Papaya – Gardening Solutions – University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. (n.d.). Gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/papaya.html
8. Sauropus androgynus Sweet Leaf, Sweetleaf Bush, Katuk PFAF Plant Database. (n.d.). Pfaf.org. Retrieved December 4, 2022, from https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Sauropus+androgynus
9. Tuquero, J., & Takai, G. (2018). Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) Varieties for Guam. https://web.uog.edu/_resources/files/extension/publications/Winged_Beans.pdf
10. University, U. S. (n.d.). Watercress in the Garden. Extension.usu.edu. https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/watercress-in-the-garden