Garlic chives is a perennial plant in the allium family that grows incredibly well in South Florida. They are also called "Chinese leeks" since they are commonly used in Asian cuisine. These chives are prolific producers and will spread over the years through their bulbs. The leaves and flowers are both edible and they have a mild garlic flavor. They are best eaten raw or added to dishes right before serving, since the flavor of the chives is lost once cooked.

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Luffa is a tropical climbing vine in the cucurbit family that is typically used as a sponge. This gourd grows like a champ right through a South Florida summer. It is extremely productive, and one vine is more than enough to supply a family with a whole year worth of sponges! Younger luffas are softer and can be used for exfoliating the skin. Fully mature luffas make great cleaning sponges that are perfect for scrubbing dishes or the tub. At Our Tropical Soil we have replaced all of our cleaning sponges with luffas! The vines can grow up to 30 feet in length, so be sure to provide them with plenty of trellis space.

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The tindora is a tropical vining plant that produces a small fruit. On the outside it looks like a tiny watermelon and on the inside it looks like a cucumber. The flavor is similar to that of the common cucumber but it has a much thicker skin and larger seeds. It is also known as "ivy gourd." It is native to Asia and is a common cooked vegetable in Indian cuisine. Traditionally, the fruit is eaten while green, however, it is also edible when fully ripe and red. Our favorite way to eat tindora is by fermenting them like you would the common cucumber. This is a sterile cultivar. Please read below to learn why we only sell this sterile tindora cultivar.

To learn more about growing tindora read the tindora plant profile here.

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Green Malabar spinach is an incredible leafy green to grow that is originally from Indonesia. It is mild enough to be eaten in a salad and heat tolerant enough to grow right through a South Florida summer! This is a vining plant that produces large and succulent green leaves. You can grow this vine up a trellis or just let it sprawl on the ground.

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Yard long beans are tasty and abundant producers. This cultivar is not as long as the "yard long" cultivars, so it only grows to about 8 inches long. The green beans have specks of purple, which makes them easier to see when harvesting. As all long beans do, these love the hot and humid weather of South Florida since they are from Thailand. We plant them in the beginning of the summer and they grow right through the heat like a champ.

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Yard long purple beans, also known as asparagus bean, are tasty and abundant producers. I find that they produce even better than the already very productive yard long green beans. The deep purple color makes them easier to find when harvesting than the green variety. They love the hot and humid weather of South Florida. They can grow up to 3 feet long when fully mature!

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Culantro is an herb that has a similar flavor to the common cilantro, but the flavor is stronger. It is an easy to grow herb in Florida that can replace cilantro in many dishes. It is native to tropical America and is used in local dishes to season food, while also being used in some Asian dishes. If you are in a more temperate climate you can grow culantro as an annual. In tropical regions, like South Florida, culantro may grow for more than a year. Once it flowers, you will never have to plant it again as this plant self seeds readily.

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Dill is a popular herb originating from the Mediterranean and Southeastern Europe. It is famously used to make dill pickles. Our favorite way to use it is to make traditional tzatziki sauce. Both the leaves and seed heads can be used.

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Jicama is a tropical climbing vine that produces an underground edible tuber. It is also called yam bean, Mexican potato, and Mexican turnip. It is a common vegetable in Mexico. This plant is a great option for gardeners in warm climates. The tuber is round with a tan colored skin. The inside is white and crisp similar to a cucumber. The tuber is slightly sweet, juicy, and very crunchy. It can be eaten both raw and cooked. It can be chopped and added to salads. We have eaten it raw with a squeeze of lime and some salt. There are many recipes online of different ways they can be cooked, with one of them being jicama fries! Jicama leaves, pods, and seeds are NOT edible, only the underground tuber is edible.

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Ethiopian kale is a heat tolerant brassica. The leaves are used as a vegetable in different regions in Africa. They can be eaten raw or cooked. The flavor is more similar to that of spicy mustard greens instead of kale. While in the garden you can pick off the young leaves for a snack with a kick. Ethiopian kale leaves have too strong of a flavor to make an entire salad out of them, but it can be added in smaller amounts to salads or sautéed. Use as you would spicy arugula or mustard greens.

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