Longevity spinach (Gynura procumbens)

Longevity spinach (Gynura procumbens) is a leafy vegetable that was relatively unknown in the U.S. until recent years. It has rapidly gained in popularity as more people grow it and become familiar with its health benefits.
In warm climates the plant is perennial, and will provide harvests for many years. The growth habit is spreading, with the floppy stems trailing on the ground.

Overall plant height is usually less than a foot, but the width can be several feet if allowed to grow unchecked. Prostrate stems root as they grow along the surface of the ground making this an excellent edible groundcover. Growth can be kept in bounds by frequent harvest of the longest stems.

The leaves and young stems can be eaten raw or cooked. This is an excellent salad green, or use the leaves on sandwiches in place of lettuce. Stems can be chopped in soups, stews, or vegetable medleys in the same way you would use celery. Leaves hold their texture well when cooked, making this a good choice for those who don't like the mucilaginous texture of many other cooked greens.

Longevity spinach grows well in full sun or part shade. Growth slows or stops in cold weather, and a hard freeze will kill top growth, but in spring the plant quickly regenerates from the root system. 

Gynura procumbens is native to the Philippines, Thailand and Indo-China. It is recommended for USDA Zones 9-11, but can be grown as an annual in colder locations.

In spring the plants go through a flowering cycle when little leafy growth occurs, but the plant is covered in orange blooms, attracting Monarch butterflies to the nectar. This plant is in the same genus as Okinawa spinach (Gynura crepiodes) and the houseplant known as Purple Passion (Gynura aurantiaca), and the flowers are clearly similar.

Many healthful claims have been made for this vegetable and it has been used in folk medicine for generations in SE Asia to treat inflammation, rheumatism and viral infections. Scientific studies have shown strong anti-inflammatory action and an ability to reduce type 2 diabetes.

Buy longevity spinach cuttings! 

Hoja santa, Acuyo (Piper auritum)

Piper auritum is a tropical herb that is variously known as hoja santa, acuyo, pepperleaf , Vera cruz pepper, false kava and root beer plant.
This species is very fast-growing to a height of 12 feet or more with stout upright stems and individual leaves that often grow more than a foot across. The leaf surface has a velvety texture.

It is these large leaves that are used to wrap tamales or meats before cooking, giving a distinctive flavor to the food inside. The leaves are also an essential ingredient in mole verde, and are chopped in soups and egg dishes. They even add a delightful flavor to tea.
The flavor is a complex blend of sassafras, anise and black pepper. Indeed, Piper auritum is in the same genus as black pepper (Piper nigrum). Much of the flavor comes from the naturally-occurring essential oil safrole, which has been shown to be a carcinogen in animal studies. Subsequent studies have shown that humans metabolize the safrole differently and it does not break down into a carcinogenic metabolite, so it's safe for humans to eat.
In Panama the leaves are fed to fish that are later cooked and eaten. The flesh of the fish takes on the flavor of the leaves it has eaten.
Plants spread by underground runners and a single plant can quickly become a large clump capable of providing all the acuyo you can eat. Here you can see how the original plant sends up a few clustered stems, then starts spreading farther away.

The thick stems are covered with prominent lenticels and are noticeably swollen at the nodes.

New growth sports numerous spadix-type flower spikes which look something like white rat tails.

Each spadix emerges opposite the leaf along the stem. It starts out pendulous, but elongates and becomes erect as it matures, eventually achieving 8-9 inches in length.

Piper auritum is native to tropical America from northern South America to Mexico. The leaves will be damaged by frost, but the root system will survive through a hard freeze and the plant is reportedly root hardy through USDA Zone 8.
It will grow in full sun or full shade, but with full sun in high summer heat, the leaves droop during the afternoon hours.

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

Chives is a popular herb commonly grown in gardens around the world.
Botanically, the plant is known as Allium schoenoprasum (AL-ee-um skoy-no-PRAY-sum).
Plants grow a foot or more tall and produce several 1-inch diameter lavender flower heads throughout the spring and early summer. The leaves are round and hollow, similar to other members of the genus.

Harvest chives by clipping individual leaves with a sharp scissors. They have a mild onion flavor and can be used fresh from the garden in a wide variety of recipes. They may also be dried or frozen for later use, although dried chives lose a lot of their flavor. The small bulbs are generally not eaten.

The chopped leaves are often added to green salads, egg dishes, potatoes, vegetables and soups. The flowers are also edible.

Chives are perennial and multiply fairly rapidly, eventually forming large clumps. It may be necessary to divide the clumps every few years to encourage new growth and to keep them from getting too dense.

The species is believed to have originated in Asia, but has been transplanted around the world by gardeners. They are recommended for USDA Zones 3-9, and grow year-round in the warmest parts of this range. Full sun exposure is best and they are drought-tolerant once established.

Allium canadense (wild onion)

Allium canadense is a small species of onion that grows wild over a large part of North America. In some areas it grow so prolifically it is considered a weed. In other areas it is listed as a threatened or endangered species.
These onions never bulb up, instead remaining the size of tiny scallions. The entire plant is edible either raw or cooked. In the kitchen they can be used the same way as conventional green onions.
Foliage is bright green and somewhat stringy in appearance. Leaves are flat in cross-section, not rounded and hollow like many other alliums, and can reach more than a foot in length.

In the warmest parts of its range this species grows during the cooler months and spends the summer in a dormant state. In northern states the growing season is reversed.

In early spring, it appears the plants are getting ready to flower when they send up blue-green stems topped by a large bud, but when the bud opens, mostly what you see is a group of small onion bulbils.

There are only a few white flowers scattered among the pearl-sized onions. Some of these bulbils sprout leaves of their own, forming a miniature plant on top of the stem from the mother plant.

When the plant goes dormant the bulbils dry up, loosen from the stem, and drop to the ground where they wait for the next growing season. It often takes a couple of year for them to reach a harvestable size.

Allium canadense grows in USDA Zones 4-9 in full sun to part shade. Regionally popular common names for this species include wild onion, wild garlic, meadow onion, and meadow garlic.

Clivia miniata

Clivia miniata is a perennial that blooms in spring or early summer in sub-tropical regions, but also makes a durable houseplant in colder climates. The orange flowers open in a large cluster held just above the foliage. Individual flowers are about 2 inches across, with the entire cluster having a spread of 6-8 inches.

This species has such distinctive leaves that it is instantly recognizable even when not in bloom. Foliage is dark green, strap-like, leathery and two-ranked. Individual leaves are 2 inches wide and grow to about 1.5 feet in length, with the entire plant having a spread of 2.5 feet.

In containers, they supposedly prefer to be root-bound. I keep mine in 6-inch diameter pots, only removing them to divide the occasional offset. Roots are thick and fleshy. They thoroughly fill the container and are often visible on the soil surface.

Plants are slow-growing, but long-lived. I've been growing the same plant or its offsets for more than 30 years. Pollinated flowers set seed in round fruits that turn red as they mature several months later. The seed pods often remain on the plant until it's ready to bud the following year. Clivia can be grown from seed, but is usually propagated from the offsets that develop near the base of the plant.

Clivia miniata is native to South Africa and is recommended for USDA Zones 9-11. It prefers mostly shady conditions, protected from direct sun. Flowering is supposed to be best following a cool dry winter.
There are also some cultivars that have yellow or reddish blooms.

Aechmea comata

Aechmea comata is a spring-blooming species of bromeliad with reddish bracts, orange sepals and bright yellow flowers. The sturdy inflorescence is held well above the foliage so the color is visible from far away.

Pollinated flowers develop into reddish fruits that extend the period of visual enjoyment by another couple of months.

The foliage is stiff and heavily armored with spines. The lower part of each leaf has a distinctive depressed area often referred to as a "thumbprint".

The leaves are also marked with purple at the base, especially on the inner side.

Aechmea comata grows about a foot tall and wide, with individual leaves measuring about 2 inches across. I grow mine in about 50-75% sun.

Suessenguthia multisetosa

Suessenguthia multisetosa is a large, somewhat sprawling shrub that blooms throughout the winter and early spring.
The large leaves (up to 18 inches long) lend a tropical look to the landscape when the plant is not in bloom.

New growth is bronze-colored, especially on plants grown in full sun.

When the days shorten in fall, clusters of large hairy buds form at the tip of each stem.

Several lavender-pink flowers at a time open from each cluster throughout the flowering months. Individual flowers are tubular and 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.
Young stems are flexible and often tend toward a pendant habit, but the main stems at the base of the plant thicken into sturdy trunks with age, often reaching 4 inches in diameter. A persistent leaf scar completely encircles the trunk.

The plant grows to around 10-12 feet tall if un-pruned, but can be maintained at a shorter height with periodic pruning. Just be sure not to trim off any growth in late summer or fall if you want winter blossoms.

This plant is about 8 feet tall.

Suessenguthia is native to Bolivia and is recommended for USDA Zones 9B-11. It grows well in full sun or half shade. In hot, tropical climates afternoon shade will help prevent the large leaves from wilting in the heat.

Billbergia 'El Jefe'

Billbergia 'El Jefe' is a nice medium-sized hybrid that usually blooms in late winter for me. When shade-grown, the plant has a rich chocolate-brown color with white spots.

In higher light the foliage takes on a more pinkish cast. The plant grows about 12-18" tall with an arching inflorescence.

The petals of the flowers mimic the sepals; both are pale-colored with a blue tip.

They are a nice contrast to the showy red bracts on the scape.
After the flowers decline the sepals turn pink, extending the colorful life of the inflorescence.

Aechmea organensis

Aechmea organensis is a compact-growing species suitable for small places. The plant reaches an overall height and spread of about 8 inches.
Blooming usually occurs in winter, when a red spike with intense blue flowers rises above the foliage. The inflorescence arches away from the center of the plant. The flowering only lasts for a couple of weeks, but the red spike will last a while longer.

Even when not in bloom, the plant is attractive, with distinctly purple leaf bases and tips.

There are other cultivars of this species available that grow larger or smaller, or have pink sepals.

Odontonema callistachyum (purple firespike)

Odontonema callistachyum is a large tropical shrub with showy purple flower spikes all winter long. An inflorescence consisting of scores of tubular flowers develops at the tip of nearly every branch, providing an extended period of bloom. The flower spikes can reach nearly a foot long when fully developed. Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to the inch-long blooms if they are in residence at the time of year when flowers are open.

The stems are herbaceous, becoming slightly woody at the base. The plant grows up to 8 feet tall and wide but can be kept pruned to about half that size. The growth habit is somewhat sprawling, so a little trimming back is usually required anyway. Pruning also forces additional branching and therefore more flowers. I usually do a final pruning in late summer so that new growth has a chance to mature before the initiation of flower spikes.
The leaves are large and give a tropical look to the landscape even when the plant is not in bloom. Individual leaves grow up to 8 inches long and nearly as wide.

Odontonema callistachyum is native to Mexico and Central America. It is recommended for USDA Zones 9 to 11. In colder pockets of Zone 9 the flowering season is often cut short by frost or freeze. In these areas it can be grown as a perennial shrub. It will flower in containers, but requires diligent pruning to keep it from becoming tall and lanky.
Flowering is best in full or half-day sun, but the foliage looks best if given a little shade during the summer.
Related reading: Odontonema strictum