Martin Crawford standing next to bed of Good King Henry
Perennial vegetables are less work and more nutritious but it’s a big cultural shift to adopt new veg. Here’s a simple table of perennial vegetable equivalents to annual vegetables to help the process.
Perennial vegetable alternatives to annual vegetables, a reference to help make the transition to perennial veg. Let me know suggested additions hello@natureworks.org.uk 🙂
| Annual | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Broccoli | Nine Star Broccoli; Turkish Rocket, Good King Henry, Sea Kale: unopened flower shoots |
| Cabbage | Crambe cordifolia (large), Asturian Tree Cabbage |
| Carrot/parsnip | Skirret |
| Celery | Lovage |
| Kale | Daubentons, Taunton Dean, Portugese Kale |
| Leek | Babington’s Leek, St Victor x Oerprei leek, Wild leek |
| Lettuce | Small Leaved Lime leaves, French Scorzonera leaves |
| Onion | Shallot, Potato onion |
| Pea | Siberian Pea Tree |
| Potato | Chinese Yam, Duck Potato, Jerusalem Artichoke |
| Runner beans | Ground Nut (also known as Potato Bean) |
| Spinach | Caucasian Spinach, Chard, Good King Henry, Nettle, Sea Beet |
| Spring onion | Everlasting Onion (Allium cepa perutile), Welsh onion |
| Spring Greens | Bistort |
Note: many of these are from suggestions via that there internet, I can’t vouch for their alternativeness! Do check Alison Tindale’s web site Backyard Larder for information and shop.