Although people are spending more time at home these days, it may still be difficult to find time to plant and care for an annual vegetable garden.  Luckily, there are many plants in our landscape that are both perennial, and edible, too!  Trees provide sap (Maple, Box Elder, Sweet Birch and more) to be made into syrups, fruit (apple, cherry, pear), and some have edible leaves (Basswood).  A large assortment of shrubs bears fruit (chokecherry, currant, blueberry, raspberry, honeyberry, blackberry, rose,  and others) or may even be used for seasoning (Sumac)

In this garden, we’ve gathered lower-growing perennial edible plants that should do well in full sun in southern Minnesota.

Hosta venusta and other Hosta species are surprisingly edible in early spring.  Cut the still-curled shoots in the spring to cut up in salads or stir-fry, when they taste similar to asparagus.  Open leaves are a bit tougher but may still be used in salads or steamed.  The flowers are also edible, but bland in flavor

Dianthus flowers have a lovely floral, slightly spicy flavor.  The more fragrant the flower, the stronger the flavor.  Be sure to eat only organically-grown flowers, but they are great in salads or as edible decorations for baked good.

Roses come in many sizes and styles of flowers.  Each flower tastes slightly different depending on fragrance and color, but be sure to sample only flowers from plants that are organically grown.  Many rose flowers (especially the rugosas) are followed by small apple-like fruit known as hips.  The fruit is useful dried and brewed into tea and is full of vitamins, especially vitamin C.

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a leafy green plant with a distinct tart, lemony flavor.  Harvest early in spring, using small, young leaves raw in salads with other greens, and larger leaves cooked in such dishes as sorrel soup.  Sorrel is rich in vitamins A and C

Rocambole is a perennial garlic that will stick around almost indefinitely in Minnesota gardens.  Mark the planting carefully for the first year or two because the plants die down in summer, at which point they are ready to be harvested.  It is strongly recommended to harvest the garlic flower scapes when they form.  They are both delicious and harvest prevents them from setting seed, which can be prolific.

Daylilies (Hemerocallis sp.) are almost completely edible, and delicious.  Not adventurous?  Start by nibbling on the flower petals.  Most people find them pleasant, and are surprised that flavor differs between flower colors.  Beyond that, the flower buds may be cooked briefly in butter for a side dish.  The stalks are not as good, but certainly edible.  And the small tubers may be eaten raw, when they resemble a sweet jicama, or cooked where they resemble young fingerling potatoes.  Again, color changes flavor, with white tubers being sweeter than yellow.  It does take a lot to yield enough for one meal, but the ubiquitous Hemerocallis fulva (ditch daylily) with orange flowers is everywhere just waiting for the digging.  Again, be sure the plants have not been sprayed.

Asparagus is a wonderful plant on many levels.  The emerging spears are harbingers of spring and delightful in many recipes.  The ferns that follow make a lovely backdrop to flowers and may be cut to use with the same flowers in a vase, where they hold up very well.

Rhubarb is the second harbinger of spring, after asparagus, in the garden.  Recipes abound for sweet or savory food and drink using the leaf stems, and all are welcome after a winter of preserved food.  The leaves contain high amounts of oxalic acid and should never be eaten, but do make wonderful base forms for distinctive concrete bird baths and stepping stones.

Tomatillo  (Physalis philadelphica) is not a perennial plant in Minnesota, but it reseeds so heavily that you will never be without it in your garden.  Husk tomato is another name for this plant, and describes the fruit exactly.  Tomatillos are necessary ingredients in salsa verde and many other salsas.

Strawberries are either June-bearing or everbearing (these are a June-bearing variety).  Their fruit is quite perishable, and really best eaten straight from the garden, but nothing compares to the flavor of those grown at home.

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is relatively common, especially around older homes in the area.  The fiddleheads that arise in spring are picked before they are 6” tall and lightly steamed and then sauteed in butter.

Globe Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. Scolymus) is a species of thistle grown for food.  The edible portion of the plant is the flower bud before it actually blooms.  Winter hardiness is an issue here.  The plants may overwinter in mild winters with some protection outdoors, but it is safest to pot them up in the fall and overwinter them in a garage or protected in an unheated shed.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum), like Tomatillo, is not a perennial, but will reseed freely.  As a result, the plants will stick around in the garden for many years.  Both leaves and flowers have a spicy, peppery flavor that add a punch to salads, pesto, or vinaigrettes.  The large fresh seeds are often gathered and pickled as a substitute for capers.

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) is an acquired taste, being very sharp and strong, but best when freshly dug and ground.  The flavor fades quickly when exposed to air.  The root is the useful part of the plant but it is a very vigorous sprouter and even tiny pieces left in the ground will resprout.  To contain the plant, it is grown here inside a large buried pot, but it can also be kept in check by mowing around it in a lawn.

This is just a small sample of perennial edibles suitable for Minnesota and we hope has given you the bug to search for more!