Veggie Index
Get to know the beloved plant foods that grow around the world, the families they belong to, and the stories that bind us all together.
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Plants that are closely related are organized into plant families that all share similar characteristics. Often descendent from the same ancient plant ancestor, the foods we know and love today were selected for over hundreds and even thousands of years to modify specific traits.
For example, the same ancient Brassica was bred for enlarged flowers and became broccoli, and was also bred for enlarged leaves, which became collards, etc.
When we learn about the connections within plant families, the stories of our food become clearer, the flavors more vibrant, the textures more tactile.
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Plant family names are Latin words that almost all end in the same five letters, “aceae,” pronounced:
“Ay-see-Ay.”
The structure of botanical nomenclature has shifted over time, as have the classifications of different plants over the years. At the end of the day, the attempt to organize the natural world into tidy categories will never capture the full complex truth, but I digress.
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Although there are hundreds of plant families and millions of edible plants, the majority of the foods that we eat belong to just twelve plant families.
The rest of the plant families in this index have been roughly organized by climate in which the majority of their edible members reside, resulting in the following five Family Groups: Top Twelve, Mostly Temperate, Mostly Tropical, Mostly Aquatic, Mostly Arid.
It’s always a challenge to attempt to categorize life in any way, as things are always messier in reality than we want them to be in our minds, but overall, this system of organization helps me to conceptualize the connections between the foods we eat.
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This is the resource that I’ve always wanted to have myself, and it’s also definitely a hyperfixation project I started during the pandemic, and it is nowhere near complete nor will it ever be. I hope you enjoy getting lost in the absolutely thrilling drama that is botanical categorization. Get ready for the DNA results.
TOP TWELVE
PLANT FAMILIES
SEEDS, FLORETS & FRUIT
Amaranth, Beetberry Spinach, Huauzontle, Quinoa
GREENS & ROOTS
Beets, Beet Greens, Callaloo (Amaranth), Chard, Chinese Spinach, Good King Henry, Epazote, Orach, Quelite Cenizo (Lambsquarters), Quintonil (Pigweed), Sea Asparagus, Sea Beet, Spinach
GARLIC & SHALLOTS
Elephant Garlic, Garlic, Grey Shallots, Shallots
FLOWERS & SCAPES
Bulbils, Chive Blossoms, Garlic Scapes, Leek Scapes
BULBING ONIONS
Cipollinis, Onions, Spring Onions, Walking Onions
SHOOTS
Calçots, Chives, Garlic Chives, Leeks, Negi, Rakkyo Onions, Ramps, Scallions
HERBS & SHOOTS
Angelica, Anise, Celery, Cham-namul, Chervil, Cicely, Cilantro, Culantro, Dill, Fennel, Lovage, Mitsuba, Parsley
ROOTS
Arracacha, Carrots, Celeriac (Celery Root), Parsley Root, Parsnips
SEEDS
Caraway, Coriander, Cumin
CHICORIES & BITTERS
Belgian Endive, Celtuce, Costa Rossa, Dandelion, Frisée, Escarole, Puntarelle, Radicchios, Treviso, Sugarloaf, et al.
FLOWERS & HERBS
Artichoke, Cardoon, Calendula, Chrysanthemum, Longevity Spinach, Okinowan Spinach, Pápalo, Pipicha, Sochan, Spilanthes, Sunflower, Tarragon
LETTUCES
ROOTS
Chicory Root, Salsify, Scorzonera, Sunchokes, Yacón
FLORETS
Broccoli, Broccolini, Cauliflower, Fioretto, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Raab, Romanesco
BUDS
Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, Kalettes
COLLARDS & KALES
MUSTARDS & ASIAN GREENS
Arugula, Bekana, Bok Choy, Chinese Broccoli, Red Mustard, Chinese Mustard, Yu Choy, Purple Choi, Mizuna, Tatsoi, Watercress
ROOTS & STEMS
Horseradish, Kohlrabi, Maca, Radishes, Rutabaga, Turnips, Wasabi
SEEDS & FLOWERS
Canola, Mustard Seed, Virginia Pepperweed
CUCUMBERS & OTHER CUCURBIT COUSINS
Bitter Melon, Cucumber, Horned (Jelly) Melon, Luffa Squash, Sour Gherkins
MELONS
Banana Melon, Canary, Cantaloupe, Charentais, Honeydew, Honey Orange, Kajari Melon, Korean Melon (Chamoe), Long Watermelon, Piel de Sapo, Rich Sweetness, Watermelon, et al.
SUMMER SQUASH
Ball Types, Calabash (Opo Squash), Chayote (Patastilla), Costata, Magda, Moqua, Ridge Gourd (Luffa), Patty Pan, Zucchini, Squash Blossoms, et al.
WINTER SQUASH
Acorn, Black Futsu, Hubbard, Buttercup, Butternut, Delicata, Kabocha, Pumpkin, Spaghetti Squash, Tetsukabuto, et al.
BEANS, PEAS, & LENTILS
Dried Beans (many), Beach Peas, Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans), Fava Beans, Green Beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Peanuts, Peas, Pigeon Peas, Romano Beans, Soy Beans (Edamame)
GREENS
Chipilín, Clover, Fava Tops, Pea Tops
TREE PODS & FLOWERS
Black Locust Flowers, Carab Pods, Huaje (River Tamarind), Ice Cream Bean, Mesquite Beans, Tamarind, Wisteria
ROOTS & TUBERS
Jícama, Licorice, Timpsula
SPICES: Fenugreek
Anise Hyssop, Basil, Catnip, Cuban Oregano (Mexican Mint), Korean Mint, Lavender, Lemon balm, Marjoram, Mint, Nepitella, Oregano, Perilla (Shiso), Rosemary, Sage, Salvia, Thyme
CORN
Flint Corn, Flour Corn, Popcorn, Sweet Corn
GRAINS
Adley (Job’s Tears), Barley, Millet, Oats, Rice, Rye, Sorghum (Broom Corn), Teff, Wheat
SHOOTS
Bamboo Shoots, Lemon Grass, Sugar Cane
BERRIES
Aronia Berries, Blackberries et al., Raspberries, Salmonberries, Strawberries, Tayberries
POME FRUIT
Apples, Asian Pears, Loquat, Medlar, Pears, Quince, Rowan Berries
STONE FRUIT
Almonds; Apricots & Apriums; Cherries; Peaches & Nectarines; Plums, Pluots, & Pluerries
FLOWERS: Rosehips & Roses
Blood Orange, Buddha's Hand (Fingered Citron), Calamansi, Chinotto, Citron, Curry Leaves, Finger Lime, Grapefruit, Kumquat, Lemon, Lime, Limequat, Mandarin, Orange, Pomelo, Satsuma, Tangelo, Tangerine, Wampee, White Sapote (Cochitzapotl), Yuzu
SOLANACEOUS FRUITS
Cocona, Ground Cherries, Naranjilla (Lulo), Pepino Dulce, Dwarf Tomarillos, Tamarillos
TOMATOES & TOMATILLOS
Cherry Tomatoes, Romas, Slicers, Heirlooms, Tomatillos
POTATOES
EGGPLANT
GREENS & HERBS
Ashwaganda, Hierba Mora, Tobacco, Quishtán
PEPPERS
Sweet, Mini, Warm, Spicy, Fire
MOSTLY TEMPERATE
PLANT FAMILIES
MOSTLY TROPICAL
PLANT FAMILIES
Ambarella (June Plum), Brazilian Pepper, Cashew , Hog Plum, Jocote (Ciruela), Mango, Maprang (Plum Mango), Pistachio, Peruvian Pepper, Staghorn Sumac
Atemoya, Cherimoya, Mountain Soursop, Pawpaw (Custard Apple), Pond Apple, Rollinia, Soncuya (Sincuya), Soursop (Guanabana)
Acaí Berries, Betel Nut, Coyoles, Coconut, Dates, Pacaya (tepejilote), Peach Palm, Salak (Snake Fruit)
Allspice, Guava (Guayaba), Jabuticaba, Malay Apple, Pitanga (Suriname Cherry), Uvalha, Wax Apple (Jambu)