Category Plant families

Plant family top level

Corn Salad

Corn salad. photo: Lloyd Sharp

Botanical name : Valerianella locusta Common name : Corn Salad, Mâche, Lambs Lettuce, Cress (generic European term) Images Growing for seed Plants are usually grown for winter eating in southern Australia as they tend to bolt to seed in hot…

Queensland Arrowroot

QLD Arrowroot rhizome reshooting in spring, photo: BVSS/LW

Botanical name : Canna indica Synonyms : Canna edulis, Canna discolor Common name : Queensland Arrowroot, Achira, Indian shot, African arrowroot, edible canna, purple arrowroot, Sierra Leone arrowroot Images Growing for seed or division Queensland arrowroot is usually propagated by division. In…

Melon

Botanical name : Cucumis melo Common name : Honeydew Melon, Rockmelon, Armenian cucumber Images Growing for seed Rockmelons and honeydew melons are grown in exactly the same way as they are for eating production with the exception that they must be…

Endive

Botanical name : Cichorium endiva Common name : Endive, Curly endive, Frisée, Broad-leaf endive, Escarole Images Growing for seed As endive flowers are pollinated before they are fully open there is little chance of them being pollinated by other Cichorium species.…

Onion – bulbing

Botanical name : Allium cepa Common name : Onion, bulbing onion, shallot, spring onion, scallion, multiplier onion Images Growing for seed When growing onions for seed it is important to make sure that varieties of the same species are isolated…

Globe Artichoke

Botanical name : Cynara cardunculus Synonyms : Cynara scolymus Common name : Globe artichoke, cardoon, artichoke Images Growing for seed When growing for seed the flower heads of globe artichoke cannot be harvested for eating, neither can the stalks of cardoons.…

Choko

Botanical name : Sicyos edulis Synonyms : Sechium edule, Chayota edulis Common name : Chayote, Choko, Mirliton Images Growing for seed Growing chokos for seed is exactly the same as growing for eating. They are frost tender and prefer warmer temperatures…

Beetroot & Silverbeet

Botanical name : Beta vulgaris Common name : Beetroot, Silverbeet, Chard, Swiss Chard, Perpetual spinach, Spinach Images Growing for seed Silverbeet and beetroot are biennials that require a period of vernalisation to initiate flowering. Varieties adapted to growing and seed…

Linseed

Linseed flowers photo: BVSS/LW

Botanical name : Linum usitatissimum Common name : Linseed, Flax seed Images Growing for seed Linseed is a self-pollinating annual that copes with cold conditions down to minus 5C. In southern Australia it is typically sown in late April or May…

Wild Rocket

Small wild rocket plant photo: BVSS/LW

Botanical name : Diplotaxis tenuifolia Common name : Wild Rocket, Wild arugula Images Growing for seed Wild rocket is self-incompatible so a number of plants should be allowed to flower to together to ensure good cross-pollination and seed set. Plants…

Rocket

Botanical name : Eruca sativa Common name : Garden Rocket, Arugula, Large Leaf Rocket Images Growing for seed Rocket is sometimes confused with the perennial Wild Rocket, Diplotaxis tenuifolia. These two species do not cross and can both be grown for seed…

Parsnip

Parsnip flower photo: BVSS/NP

Botanical name : Pastinaca sativa Common name : Parsnip Images Growing for seed Parsnips require vernalisation to trigger flowering. Temperatures below 10 C are required. The parsnips must be sexually mature before vernalisation begins so seed crops are generally sown…

Carrot

Botanical name : Daucus carota Common name : Carrot Growing for seed Carrots need to go through vernalisation in order to initiate flowering. Temperatures under 10 C are needed for this. In Australia there are few locations that get too…

Cowpea and Snake Bean

Botanical name : Vigna unguiculata Common name : Cow pea, Asparagus bean, Snake bean, Black Eyed bean, Yard long bean Cultivation Cowpeas and snake beans are warmth loving annuals. Climbing forms are best grown on a trellis. They should all be planted…

Amaranth

Botanical name : Amaranthus spp Common name : Amaranth, Love Lies Bleeding, Callaloo Images Growing for seed There are a number of different Amaranthus species but hybridisation between most of them is possible. All the varieties which flowers in a…

Watermelon

Botanical name : Citrullus lanatus Common name : Watermelon, Citron melon, Jam melon Growing for seed Watermelons are cross-pollinated by insects and continuously flower over their growing season. They will need to be isolated from other watermelon varieties by at…

Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale and friends

Botanical name : Brassica oleracea Synonyms :  Common name : Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, Savoy cabbage, gai lan, kohl rabi Images Growing for seed Brassica oleracea varieties can be challenging to grow for seed for a…

Cucumber

Botanical name : Cucumis sativus Common name : Cucumber, gherkin, slicing cucumber, pickling cucumber, Lebanese cucumber, burpless cucumber. Images Growing for seed Cucumbers are warm weather annuals. When growing for seed the fruit are left on the vines for much…

Eggplant

Botanical name : Solanum melongena Synonyms :  Common name : Eggplant, Aubergine Images Growing for seed As eggplants can successfully self-pollinate it is possible to grow multiple varieties by using netting or caging to exclude pollinating insects. Individual blossoms can…

Capsicum & Chilli

Description Botanical name : Capsicum spp. Incudes: Capsicum annum, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum chinense, Capsicum pubescens Common name : Capsicum, Peppers, Bell Pepper, Chilli, Chilli pepper, Paprika Images Cultivation Capsicums and chillies are warm season crops. They prefer soil temperatures…

Basil

Botanical name : Ocimum basilicum Common name : Sweet Basil, Genovese Basil, Tulsi (India), Italian Basil, Purple Basil Images Growing for seed Grow it in the same way as for eating but only grow one type of basil with in…