Perennials Foods

Dragon Fruit

ATHERTON RASPBERRY – NATIVE AUSTRALIA RASPBERRY

Elephant Garlic

Perennial Leek

PURPLE or WINGED YAM

Winged yams are the largest of the Dioscorea species with huge tubers that can weigh up to 30kg. They are extremely hardy, highly productive and versatile to cook with. The common name, Winged Yam refers to the ‘winged stem’, which has wide ridges along the angular stem. The heart shaped leaves are opposite on the […]

YAM – LESSER

Lesser Yam is a perennial, climbing plant producing annual stems about 3m long from a tuberous rootstock. A staple food, it is often cultivated in tropical areas, especially Asia and the Pacific, for its edible root. Edible species of Dioscorea have opposite leaves whilst poisonous species have alternate leaves. The tubers are oval, up to […]

YAM – GIANT FOREST

Elephant Yam is a tropical forest dwelling perennial plant cultivated for its edible tuber in lowland tropical countries in Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands. It is a traditional food of Indigenous Australians in Cape York and Northern Territory. It produces a single patterned stalk up to 2m annually with a large single leaf. The […]

YAM – AFRICAN YELLOW

Butter Yam is native to Nigeria, Ghana and other West African countries. It is a cultivated species that is not found in the wild. This yam is an important staple food in many countries with peelings fed to animals. Tubers up to 3kgs have a rough outer skin and a pale yellow flesh. Requires a […]

YAM – AERIAL POTATO

Aerial Yam is a perennial climbing plant producing annual stems up to 10m long from a woody, tuberous rootstock. It has the familiar heart shaped leaves of other Dioscorea but the leaves are alternate on the rounded stem and the stem twines to the left. The Aerial Yam produces aerial tubers from leaf axils along […]

YACON

Yacon is a hardy perennial plant, producing annual stems 1m or more tall from a tuberous rootstock. Yacon is in the same family as sunflower and has similar but smaller cheery yellow flowers. Also known as sweet root, it produces high yields of tasty edible tubers.

WINGED BEAN

Winged Bean is a vigorous perennial climber with blue flowers and striking winged pods. The stems grow up to 4m long and require a strong trellis for support. The tuber is edible and is long with a brown skin like a yam. An extremely useful, multipurpose plant that is cultivated as a food plant. Winged […]

WATER CHESTNUTS

Water chestnuts are a rush-like perennial plant that grows in boggy shallow water on the edges of seasonal swamps. It has long hollow stems up to 1m tall. Panja is a native variety that grows in Cape York and is an important food of the Yupangathi people. Corms are about 4cm in diameter.