Complete Gardening
Growing your own food doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch every spring. Perennial vegetables come back year after year, saving you time, money, and effort in the garden. These resilient plants establish deep root systems that help them withstand drought and access nutrients other plants can’t reach. Whether you have a small backyard or a sprawling homestead, these plant-once-and-harvest-for-years options deserve a special place in your garden.
1. Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
The king of spring vegetables rewards patient gardeners with decades of tender spears. After planting, you’ll wait 2-3 years before the first full harvest, but then enjoy up to 20 years of production from a single planting.
Asparagus thrives in sunny, well-drained spots with minimal competition from weeds. The ferny summer foliage adds ornamental value to your garden after harvesting ends.
Male varieties like ‘Jersey Knight’ produce more spears, while heirloom ‘Purple Passion’ offers sweeter, more tender shoots with beautiful purple coloring that turns green when cooked.
2. Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum)
Bold, ruby-red stalks make rhubarb both beautiful and delicious in the perennial garden. Once established, a single planting can produce for 10-15 years with minimal care beyond occasional dividing to rejuvenate plants.
Rhubarb loves cool climates and struggles in extreme heat. The tart stalks shine in pies, jams, and sauces, though remember that only the stalks are edible—the leaves contain toxic oxalic acid.
Popular varieties include ‘Victoria’ with green-tinged stalks and ‘Crimson Cherry’ with its intense red color that holds well during cooking.
3. Globe Artichoke (Cynara scolymus)
Architectural and impressive, globe artichokes bring Mediterranean flair to the edible landscape. The immature flower buds we harvest as food sit atop striking silvery-gray foliage that reaches 3-5 feet tall.
A single planting can yield for 5-10 years in zones 7-11, though they’re often grown as annuals in colder regions. For best production, give them full sun and well-drained soil.
‘Green Globe’ is the classic variety, while ‘Imperial Star’ was developed for annual production in cooler climates. If you miss harvesting some buds, they’ll open into spectacular purple thistle flowers.
4. Jerusalem Artichoke / Sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
Sunflower relatives with edible underground tubers, sunchokes combine ornamental yellow flowers with nutritious harvest. Despite the name, they’re neither from Jerusalem nor related to artichokes—they’re native North American plants with a nutty, potato-like taste.
Warning: once planted, sunchokes can spread aggressively. Contain them in raised beds or dedicated areas where their enthusiastic growth won’t overrun other plants.
The knobby tubers contain inulin rather than starch, making them a lower-glycemic alternative to potatoes. Harvest after frost for the sweetest flavor, leaving some tubers to regrow next year.
5. Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)
Fiery and pungent, horseradish roots pack a sinus-clearing punch that adds zip to sauces and condiments. This hardy perennial grows in nearly any soil and can thrive in partial shade where other vegetables struggle.
Plant horseradish in a permanent location or contain it in buried buckets—any root fragments left behind will sprout new plants. The large, crinkled leaves form an attractive 2-foot tall mound that rarely needs watering once established.
Harvest in fall after frost, when the roots develop their strongest flavor. Freshly grated horseradish is far more potent than store-bought versions and makes a wonderful homemade condiment for roast beef.
6. Walking Onion / Egyptian Onion (Allium × proliferum)
Quirky and conversation-starting, walking onions literally plant themselves by forming bulblets at the tops of their stems. When these topsets become heavy enough, they bend the stalk to the ground, where they root and create new plants—hence the “walking” name.
These hardy perennials offer three harvests in one plant: green onion-like stems in spring, the topset bulblets in summer, and underground bulbs similar to shallots in fall. They thrive in most soils and need almost no care once established.
Walking onions make excellent border plants for vegetable gardens and serve as natural markers for other perennials that are slow to emerge in spring.
7. Welsh Onion (Allium fistulosum)
Welsh onions (misleadingly named, as they originate from Asia) provide endless green onions without annual replanting. Unlike regular onions, they grow in perennial clumps that expand each year and can be divided to create new plants.
The hollow stems have a mild onion flavor perfect for salads, stir-fries, and garnishes. In cold climates, they die back in winter but emerge early in spring when few other fresh greens are available.
These trouble-free plants rarely suffer from pests or diseases and can thrive for decades with minimal care. Their white flowers attract beneficial insects and add ornamental value to edible landscapes.
8. Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)
Flat-leaved and garlicky, these Asian staples add savory flavor to countless dishes while requiring almost no garden maintenance. Unlike regular chives, garlic chives have flat rather than hollow leaves and bloom with star-shaped white flowers that pollinators adore.
The entire plant is edible—leaves, flowers, and even the flower buds that can be pickled like capers. Their mild garlic flavor enhances eggs, soups, and stir-fries without the intensity of regular garlic.
Be aware that garlic chives self-seed enthusiastically if flower heads aren’t removed. Established clumps can be divided every few years to reinvigorate growth or share with fellow gardeners.
9. Elephant Garlic (Allium ampeloprasum)
Mammoth-sized and mild-mannered, elephant garlic produces bulbs that can weigh up to a pound each. Technically a type of leek rather than true garlic, its massive cloves have a gentler, sweeter flavor that caramelizes beautifully when roasted.
Plant in fall like regular garlic, giving plenty of space for these giants. The impressive plants reach 4-5 feet tall when flowering, with globe-shaped purple blooms that draw admiring glances and beneficial insects.
Once established, elephant garlic will return year after year if you leave some bulbs in the ground. The greens can be harvested sparingly in spring for a mild garlic-leek flavor in soups and salads.
10. Ramps / Wild Leek (Allium tricoccum)
Forest treasures with a cult following, ramps combine garlic and onion flavors with a hint of sweetness. These woodland natives emerge in early spring, producing broad, lily-like leaves before the forest canopy leafs out.
Growing ramps requires patience—seeds take up to 18 months to germinate, and plants need 5-7 years to reach harvestable size. Their slow growth has led to overharvesting in the wild, making home cultivation all the more valuable.
Once established in a shady, moist garden spot with rich soil, ramps will spread gradually through both seeds and underground rhizomes. Harvest sustainably by taking just one leaf from each plant or digging only a small portion of each clump.
11. Skirret (Sium sisarum)
Medieval favorite making a comeback, skirret produces bundles of sweet, starchy white roots that taste like a cross between potato and parsnip. Once a staple in European kitchens before potatoes arrived from the Americas, this forgotten vegetable deserves rediscovery.
The carrot relative forms an attractive plant with delicate white umbel flowers similar to Queen Anne’s lace. Roots can be harvested from fall through spring, with flavor improving after frost.
Skirret grows easily in moist, rich soil and partial shade, spreading slowly through crown division. Plants can produce for 5-10 years, with roots becoming more abundant each season.
12. Crosne / Chinese Artichoke (Stachys affinis)
Resembling pearly white Michelin men, these whimsically shaped tubers bring playful elegance to gourmet plates. Crosne (pronounced “crone”) has a delicate flavor similar to water chestnuts, with a satisfying crunch that holds up when cooked.
The mint family member produces its small, segmented tubers in fall. Above ground, the square-stemmed plants bear purple-tinged flowers attractive to pollinators.
Plant crosne in loose, well-drained soil where it can spread freely. Always leave some tubers in the ground for next year’s crop. They’re particularly valuable for northern gardens, as increasing cold improves their sweet, nutty flavor.
13. Sea Kale (Crambe maritima)
Coastal native with gourmet potential, sea kale delivers three distinct harvests throughout the growing season. In early spring, the tender blanched shoots can be harvested like asparagus. Later, the wavy blue-green leaves provide a cabbage-like flavor, while the flower buds taste similar to broccoli.
The drought-tolerant plant forms a striking architectural specimen with large leaves and sprays of honey-scented white flowers. Once established, its deep taproot allows sea kale to thrive in poor, sandy soils where few vegetables grow well.
Plants can live for decades, producing more abundantly as they mature. For the delicacy of blanched shoots, cover emerging growth with pots or special forcing cloches in early spring.
14. Tree Collards / Perennial Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala)
Reaching heights of 6 feet or more, tree collards bring vertical drama to edible landscapes while providing nutritious greens year-round in mild climates. Unlike annual kale, these long-lived plants develop woody stems that support continual leaf production.
The blue-green leaves taste sweeter after frost, just like their annual cousins. In zones 8 and warmer, tree collards can produce for 5-10 years before becoming woody and less productive.
Propagation happens through cuttings rather than seeds. The plants rarely flower in most climates, but when they do, it signals the end of their productive life. Regular harvesting encourages branching and more leaf production.
15. Good King Henry (Blitum bonus-henricus)
Medieval spinach substitute with a royal name, Good King Henry provided reliable spring greens for centuries before modern vegetables became widely available. This European native offers three edible parts: young shoots harvested like asparagus, arrow-shaped leaves used like spinach, and flower buds cooked similar to broccoli.
The hardy plant thrives in partial shade and poor soil where other vegetables struggle. Its deep roots mine nutrients from subsoil, making the leaves mineral-rich and nutritious.
Once established, Good King Henry forms a slowly expanding clump that can produce for 25 years or more. The name allegedly honors King Henry IV of France, who promoted gardening among peasants.
16. Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
Lemony and bright, sorrel adds a zesty punch to spring dishes with its distinctive tangy flavor. The perennial green contains naturally occurring oxalic acid, creating a sour taste that enlivens soups, sauces, and salads.
French sorrel (Rumex scutatus) has a milder flavor and more rounded leaves than common sorrel, but both are easy-to-grow perennials that return reliably each spring. The plants form neat clumps that can be divided every few years to rejuvenate growth.
Cut flower stalks promptly to encourage leaf production and prevent self-seeding. In hot summer weather, leaves may become bitter; cut plants back for a fresh, tender fall crop.
17. Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
Celery on steroids might best describe lovage, a commanding herb that reaches 6 feet tall with an intense flavor that outpowers its smaller cousin. Just a few leaves infuse soups and stews with rich, celery-like notes that hold up well during cooking.
Every part is usable—hollow stems make natural straws for tomato drinks, leaves flavor stocks and soups, seeds substitute for celery seed, and even the roots can be cooked as a vegetable. This cold-hardy European native returns reliably for 5-7 years before needing rejuvenation through division.
Plant lovage at the back of herb gardens where its impressive height won’t shade smaller plants. Its yellow umbrella-shaped flowers attract beneficial insects.
18. Caucasian Spinach / Hablitzia (Hablitzia tamnoides)
Climbing spinach that produces for decades, Hablitzia represents a true permaculture superstar. This rare Scandinavian vegetable scales trellises or fences up to 10 feet high while producing tender, mineral-rich greens from early spring until fall frost.
Unlike true spinach, Hablitzia tolerates partial shade and grows more vigorously as it ages. The heart-shaped leaves have a mild, pleasant flavor without the oxalic acid bite of some perennial greens.
Give this long-lived climber rich soil and something to ascend. In late summer, it produces small greenish flowers followed by seeds that can be collected or allowed to self-sow, though established plants live for 25+ years.
19. Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus var. altilis)
Architectural and dramatic, cardoon brings Mediterranean grandeur to edible landscapes with silvery foliage and electric blue thistle flowers. A close relative of the artichoke, cardoon is grown for its thick leaf stalks rather than flower buds.
The blanched stalks have a flavor reminiscent of artichoke hearts with hints of celery. Traditional preparation involves wrapping the stalks to exclude light for several weeks before harvest, making them more tender and less bitter.
In zones 7-10, cardoon returns reliably for years, forming impressive clumps up to 5 feet tall and wide. Even in colder regions, the stunning foliage and flowers make it worth growing as an annual vegetable.
20. Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
Peppery and pristine, watercress transforms a simple water feature into a perpetual salad bar. This semi-aquatic perennial grows naturally along stream edges where it can access constant flowing water without being submerged.
Home gardeners can recreate these conditions in containers set in shallow water or through aquaponic systems. The nutrient-dense greens contain more vitamin C than oranges and more calcium than milk, earning their reputation as a superfood.
Harvest regularly by snipping stem tips, which encourages branching and more growth. Plants can produce year-round in mild climates with clean water supply, though they may die back in extreme heat or cold.