Gardening often revolves around planting annual vegetables year after year. You till, sow, weed, water, harvest, then start all over again next season. But what if you could plant once and harvest again and again without the repeated labor? That’s where perennial vegetables can change your gardening game. These long-lived crops establish themselves, grow roots deep into the soil, and return reliably every season with minimal input, providing food security and sustainable yields with far less effort than traditional annuals.
Perennial vegetables are among the most overlooked plants in home gardens, yet they can be the backbone of a resilient and productive system. By weaving them into your gardening plan, you gain dependable harvests, better soil health, improved habitat for pollinators, and less soil disturbance. Whether you grow them in traditional beds, raised beds, edible landscapes, or permaculture systems, these plants will repay your efforts for years.
This comprehensive guide will break down the best perennial vegetables that come back every year, how to plant and care for them, and how to integrate them beautifully into your garden design.
Why Perennial Vegetables Matter
Before diving into the list, it helps to understand why these crops deserve space in your garden.
1. Less work, more food. You plant once, then harvest year after year with minimal reseeding or replanting.
2. Soil health. Deep-rooted perennials improve soil structure, draw nutrients from subsoil layers, and build organic matter by keeping living roots in place all year.
3. Resilience. Perennials often handle drought, variable weather, and pest challenges better than annuals, reducing risk.
4. Sustainability. Perennials use fewer resources, require less fertilizer, and lower your carbon footprint by reducing tillage and soil disturbance.
5. Biodiversity. They support beneficial insects and soil life, creating a more balanced ecosystem.
Many gardeners think of perennials only in terms of fruit trees or berry bushes, but there are dozens of vegetables that also grow perennially with proper care. Let’s explore them.
1. Asparagus
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is one of the classic perennial vegetables and a garden treasure. Once established, an asparagus bed can produce delicious spears for 15–20 years.
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Growing tips: Start with crowns (one-year-old roots) rather than seeds, as they establish faster. Plant in a well-drained, sunny location with rich soil amended with compost.
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Spacing: About 12–18 inches apart in rows 3–4 feet apart.
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Harvest: Begin harvesting lightly in year three, then fully from year four onward.
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Maintenance: Keep the bed weeded, mulch generously, and do not cut the ferns until after they yellow in fall.
2. Rhubarb
Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum) is another time-tested perennial vegetable with a powerful tart flavor perfect for pies, jams, and sauces.
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Growing tips: Plant dormant crowns in early spring. Choose a sunny spot with good drainage, as rhubarb hates wet feet.
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Spacing: At least 3 feet between plants.
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Harvest: Pick stalks when they are 12–18 inches long, but avoid harvesting in the first year to allow the roots to establish. Never eat rhubarb leaves, as they are toxic.
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Maintenance: Mulch well, divide the crowns every 4–5 years, and remove flower stalks to keep the plant productive.
3. Walking Onion
Walking onions (Allium × proliferum), sometimes called Egyptian onions or perennial onions, are truly fascinating. Instead of forming flowers, they grow bulbils at the top of their stalks, which fall over, root, and “walk” to a new spot.
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Growing tips: Plant sets or bulbs in a sunny bed with well-draining soil.
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Spacing: About 6 inches apart.
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Harvest: Harvest green shoots anytime for scallion-like flavor, and dig up mature bulbs in late summer.
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Maintenance: Remove some top bulbils to control spreading, and mulch in winter for protection.
4. Sorrel
Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a tangy leafy green with a sharp lemony taste. It thrives as a perennial leafy vegetable in many climates.
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Growing tips: Plant in a sunny to partly shaded area with moist, fertile soil.
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Spacing: 12–18 inches apart.
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Harvest: Pick leaves continuously as needed. Sorrel resprouts quickly and is often one of the first greens to appear in spring.
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Maintenance: Divide plants every few years to maintain vigor and prevent overcrowding.
5. Sea Kale
Sea kale (Crambe maritima) is an impressive-looking perennial vegetable with thick, cabbage-like leaves and edible flower buds resembling broccoli.
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Growing tips: Prefers sandy, well-drained soil in full sun. It is tolerant of salt and coastal conditions.
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Spacing: At least 3 feet apart because it grows quite large.
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Harvest: Blanched shoots in spring (like asparagus) and flower buds before they open.
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Maintenance: Mulch for winter protection and avoid overharvesting.
6. Good King Henry
Good King Henry (Blitum bonus-henricus) is an old-fashioned perennial green traditionally grown in European cottage gardens. Its shoots can be used like asparagus and its leaves like spinach.
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Growing tips: Plant in rich, moist soil with partial shade.
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Spacing: 12 inches apart.
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Harvest: Pick young shoots in spring and leaves throughout the season.
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Maintenance: Keep moist and divide clumps every few years.
7. Jerusalem Artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also known as sunchoke, is a sunflower relative grown for its edible tubers.
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Growing tips: Plant tubers in early spring in a sunny bed. They can grow quite tall, up to 10 feet, so place them carefully to avoid shading other crops.
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Spacing: 12–18 inches apart.
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Harvest: Dig up tubers after frost has killed the tops. Leave a few tubers in the ground to regrow the next year.
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Maintenance: Thin or control spread, as they can become invasive if unmanaged.
8. Perennial Kale
There are several perennial kale varieties, including Taunton Deane and Daubenton’s kale, that provide greens year after year.
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Growing tips: Plant in well-drained soil in full sun, protect from cabbage moths.
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Spacing: 2 feet apart.
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Harvest: Pick leaves as needed through winter and early spring.
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Maintenance: Take cuttings every few years to replace older woody stems.
9. Chinese Artichoke
Chinese artichoke (Stachys affinis), also called crosnes, is a mint-family perennial with small, knobby edible tubers.
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Growing tips: Plant in fertile, moist, well-drained soil in partial shade.
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Spacing: 12 inches apart.
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Harvest: Dig tubers in late autumn after the plant dies back.
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Maintenance: Mulch in winter to protect from frost, and thin out crowded clumps every few seasons.
10. Horseradish
Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is a hardy perennial grown for its pungent roots, a classic condiment.
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Growing tips: Plant root cuttings in well-drained soil, giving it plenty of space to spread.
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Spacing: At least 2 feet apart.
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Harvest: Dig roots in fall or early spring. Leave some roots behind to regrow.
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Maintenance: Can become weedy if neglected, so harvest and thin aggressively to keep it contained.
11. Lovage
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a celery-flavored perennial herb often used in soups and stews.
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Growing tips: Plant in a sunny location with moist, fertile soil.
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Spacing: 2–3 feet apart.
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Harvest: Cut stems and leaves as needed; use roots as a flavoring too.
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Maintenance: Divide clumps every 4–5 years.
12. Welsh Onion
Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum) is a hardy perennial that behaves much like a bunching onion.
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Growing tips: Prefers full sun and rich soil.
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Spacing: 6 inches apart.
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Harvest: Cut green leaves repeatedly, or dig up clumps to divide for fresh sets.
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Maintenance: Mulch to protect roots in winter.
Integrating Perennial Vegetables Into Your Garden
Many people picture perennials only along the garden edges, but they can be woven directly into traditional beds, raised beds, or edible landscapes. Here are ways to maximize their benefits:
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Plant perennials as an anchor around which you rotate annuals each year.
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Use them to fill garden edges where soil is less disturbed.
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Combine them with perennial herbs for a permanent kitchen garden close to the house.
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Incorporate pollinator-friendly flowers alongside your perennials to increase yields and biodiversity.
Perennials also suit permaculture approaches beautifully, providing structure and stability to your planting design.
How to Care for Perennial Vegetables
Perennials are generally less demanding than annuals, but they still appreciate some care:
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Mulch generously to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
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Divide plants every few years to maintain vigor.
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Feed with compost or slow-release organic fertilizer once or twice a year.
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Monitor for pests, though perennials are often more resilient than annual vegetables.
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Water in drought, especially in their first year as roots establish.
Seasonal Tips for Perennial Vegetable Success
Spring
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Clean up beds, remove winter mulch, top up with compost.
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Prune dead or damaged growth.
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Divide clumps if needed.
Summer
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Harvest regularly to encourage more growth.
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Water deeply during hot weather.
Fall
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Stop heavy harvesting to allow plants to store energy.
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Add mulch to protect crowns and roots through winter.
Winter
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Leave roots in place whenever possible.
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Cover beds if extremely cold temperatures are expected.
Other Perennial Edibles Worth Exploring
Beyond the classics, there are more niche perennials that may suit adventurous gardeners:
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Turkish rocket (Bunias orientalis)
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Hablitzia (Hablitzia tamnoides), a perennial climbing spinach
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Caucasian spinach (Hablitzia spp.)
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Daylilies (Hemerocallis), whose buds and flowers are edible
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Ostrich fern fiddleheads (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
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Udo (Aralia cordata), a Japanese perennial vegetable
Experimenting with these less common plants can add diversity and resilience to your garden.
Advantages of Mixing Perennials With Annuals
Some gardeners worry that dedicating space to perennials reduces room for their favorite annual crops, but integrating both has many benefits:
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Perennials act as windbreaks for fragile annuals.
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Their deep roots stabilize soil, which benefits shallow-rooted annuals nearby.
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They provide habitat for beneficial insects that keep pests under control.
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Their shade can help cool-season annuals grow longer in hot weather.
It’s truly a win-win.
Final Thoughts: Growing Food That Returns Every Year
Perennial vegetables deliver consistent, resilient harvests with minimal replanting. By investing a bit of time in planning and planting perennial beds, you set yourself up for a harvest that can last a decade or more. These plants fit perfectly into a sustainable, low-maintenance, regenerative gardening system.
Imagine stepping out in early spring to harvest the first tender sorrel leaves while other gardeners are just beginning to sow seeds, or enjoying an autumn feast of Jerusalem artichokes long after your annual beds have been cleared. Perennials make this dream a reality.
Choose a few reliable species to start with, like asparagus, rhubarb, and perennial onions, then gradually expand as you learn what grows well in your soil and climate. Within a couple of seasons, you’ll be amazed at how these reliable plants reduce your workload while boosting your harvests.