The giant elephant ear, is a large perennial plant native to Southeast Asia. The corms and leaf stalks are consumed as vegetables, but it is mainly grown as an ornamental plant in gardens.
Finger lime, is a unique Australian citrus known for its elongated fruits filled with tangy, bead-like juice vesicles.
Catnip is a plant known for its ability to trigger playful or calming behaviors in many cats due to a compound called nepetalactone.
Citronella grass, is an aromatic plant from the grasses family. It is used to produce Citronella oil, which is used as an insect repellent.
Indian sandalwood, is a tropical tree native to southern India and Southeast Asia, valued for its aromatic heartwood and fragrant oil.
Argan is a tree that is endemic to the semi-desert Sous valley of southwestern Morocco. The nuts are cold pressed to produce argan oil, which is used to treat hair and skin.
Patchouli is a bushy perennial herb with small, pale pink-white flowers. It grows in the tropics and is mainly used to make perfumes and incense.
Several species of Chrysanthemum are grown as ornamentals or to be used as cut flower.
The genus Chrysanthemum includes over 30 different species.
Asian pigeonwings is a legume with edible flowers. Flowers can be eaten raw or are dipped in batter and fried. Flowers can also be used as food colouring to colour glutinous rice. In India the plant is a holy flower, used in rituals.
Caraway is a plant in the carrot family, which is cultivated for its small fruits. The dry fruits, which look like seeds, are used as a spice. The roots of the plant can be used as a root vegetable and the leaves can be used as a herb, similar to parsley.
The name custard apple is sometimes used for sugar apple (sweetsop) which actually is a different but related fruit species. Because of its shape the custard apple is also called Ox heart or Bull’s heart.
The fruits are usually eaten fresh as a snack or dessert. Open the fruit and spoon out the white flesh which is soft, juicy and has a sweet taste.
The king oyster mushroom is an edible mushroom native to Mediterranean region. It is cultivated commercially, for example in Italy, Japan, Australia, China, South Korea, and USA.
Bananas are the world's best-selling fruits, followed by apples and oranges. They originate from tropical South-East Asia but are now found in almost all tropical regions of the world.
The genus Musa includes several species and cultivars of bananas. Some are used as fruits, some as vegetables.
Okinawan spinach is native to China, Thailand and Myanmar. It is cultivated as a vegetable or as a medicinal herb.
Maize (or Corn) is the number one cereal in the world. It is important as a staple crop in Africa and South America and it is also important worldwide as a fodder crop.
Kumquat is a small fruit-bearing Citrus tree. The fruits look a bit like oranges but are much smaller. Kumquat fruit are usually consumed whole with the peel, or are used in fruit salads.
Fruits of the dog rose (rose hips) are used to make jam, syrup and tea. They are rich in vitamin C.
The term Rose hip (or rose haw) is used for fruits of rose plants.
Scots pine is an important timber tree. It produces wood which is used for pulp and timber products.
The Norway spruce is a timber tree, mainly planted for its wood. This tree species is often used as Christmas tree.
Vetiver is a type of grass with roots that grow several meters deep into the soil. It is therefore used in erosion control.
Daikon is a large white type of radish, which originates from East and Southeast Asia. As a root vegetable it is used in Chinese, Japanese and Thai recipes. In North America it is grown as a fallow crop and the leaves can be used as animal fodder.
Jerusalem artichoke is related to the sunflower. It originates from eastern North America and is grown in temperate climates for its tubers which are used as a root vegetable.
Rose hips of sweet briar can be used to make marmalade.
The term 'rose hip' is used for fruits of rose plants.
Cabbage tree is a tree in the Moringa genus. Its leaves are edible and seeds can be used to purify water. Cabbage tree is native to Kenya and Ethiopia.
Capsicum chinense is species of chili pepper with several different varieties, including Habanero and Madame Jeanette.
Yellow lupin is often found growing as a wild plant in Mediterranean region. It is sometimes grown as a green manure. In the past, seeds were a common food in some Mediterranean countries, but nowadays they are just used as a pickled snack food.
Ugli is a fruit created by hybridizing a grapefruit, orange and tangerine. It originates from Jamaica.
As the name suggests, it is not a very beautiful fruit. It has a rough, wrinkled, greenish-yellow surface.
White clover can be grown as a companion crop among lawn grasses. It tolerates close mowing and is considered to be a beneficial component of lawn care because it can fix nitrogen and competes with lawn weeds. White clover is also a good forage crop for livestock.
Red clover is a legume that is often grown as a fodder crop or as a green manure. It is also used to make a sweet-tasting herbal tea.
Ana tree is a thorny tree that is used in Africa for nitrogen fixation and erosion control. The wood is used to make canoes, mortars and pestles. The pods are used as a fodder for livestock.
Lion's mane mushroom is an edible mushroom, often used in Chinese vegetarian cuisine. It is cultivated commercially on wood or sawdust. It is sold fresh or dried.
Poplar mushroom is an edible mushroom species. It is cultivated commercially in Japan, Korea, Australia, China and the USA.
Jelly ear (also Judas's ear or Jew's ear) is an edible mushroom, often used in Chinese and Japanese dishes.
The Indian oyster is an edible mushroom species. It belongs to the genus Pleurotus, and is the most cultivated oyster mushroom species in Europe and North America.
The golden oyster mushroom is an edible mushroom, which can be cultivated commercially on a medium of grain, straw or sawdust.
Paddy straw mushroom is an edible mushroom which is very popular in Asian cuisines. It is cultivated commercially throughout East and Southeast Asia.
Capsicum frutescens is a species that includes several varieties of chili peppers: Piri piri, Malaguete pepper, Tabasco pepper, and Thai pepper.
There are many species in the genus Lupinus. Several species are used as fodder or for soil improvement. Some species have edible seeds that are used as food.
The Bitter bean or stink bean is tree of which the beans are used in Indonesian dishes. The big, flat beans are inside long, often twisted pods.
Stink beans are also used in several other South East Asian countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, southern Thailand, Burma) and in north-eastern India. They have a strong smell and give a special aroma to the food in which they are used.
Gaub tree is a tree species in the ebony family, which originates from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South East Asia. A sticky substance discharged from the tree is used for sealing boats. Unripe fruits contain tannins and can be used for curing nets and leather. Leaves and fruits can be used to dye cloth black.
Mango is often known as the "apple of the tropics". It is one of the most popular tropical fruits in the world (together with pineapple, banana, papaya and avocado). Mango fruits are usually eaten ripe, when they are soft and sweet. But some people prefer them unripe, when they are harder with a more sour taste. Mango is also used to produce juice, jam or jelly. Unripe fruits can be used to prepare pickles or chutney.
Chia originates from central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. It is grown for its seeds, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. In the past it was probably used as a staple food in the region where it was cultivated.
Foxtail millet is the second most widely planted species of the smaller cereals that are known as 'millets'. It is an old crop which was already used in China over 7000 years ago.
Rice is a tropical cereal, but it also grows in some temperate regions with a warmer climate.
It is the second most important cereal in the world after maize. In the tropics it’s the primary cereal for human consumption. Rice is the main staple food for half the world’s population.
Enokitake (or Enoki) is an edible mushroom. The cultivated variety is a bundle of long thin white mushrooms. They are white because they are not exposed to light. In the wild, the mushroom looks different with a brown color, shorter and thicker stems, and bigger caps.
The Velvet apple (also called Mabolo) is not a real apple but rather a rare tropical fruit that is related to ebony trees. The name is well chosen as it looks like an apple but with a rather velvety skin, similar to a peach.