Most Heat-Tolerant Vegetables

Tomatoes and Peppers

• Tomatoes aren't typically heat-tolerant, but some varieties, such as Solar Set, Sunmaster, Heat Wave II and Sun Leaper carry a heat-resistant gene. The LSU Ag Center recommends planting the tomatoes deeper and watering in the morning to help the plants thrive. Sun Gold hybrids produce orange cherry tomatoes that mature early. Almost all peppers, especially hot varieties such as habanero, cayenne, jalapeno and Hungarian wax peppers do well in hot climates. Eggplant, another vegetable that tolerates heat is a member of the same family as tomatoes and pepper.

Root Vegetables and Tubers

• Starchy tubers, typically associated with tropical climates and cuisines, tolerate heat. Yams, taro, cassava and sweet potatoes thrive in hot climates. Among the varieties of sweet potatoes that tolerate high heat is the Beauregard, a variety developed by Louisiana State University. Yams and sweet potatoes are not the same plant, though the names are used interchangeably in some parts of the United States. Yams only grow in the tropics. Taro, sometimes called the potato of the tropics, has a higher concentration of protein, calcium and phosphorous than white potatoes.

Leafy Vegetables

• Hearting lettuces don't do well in high temperatures, but open-leafed varieties such as oak leaf are heat-tolerant. Oak leaf lettuce has tender leaves and crunchy stems, and comes in red and green varieties. Plant spinach, romaine and the Prizeleaf and Simpson Elite varieties of lettuce. Arugula and mustard greens have distinctive bitter, peppery flavors. Savoy cabbage, bok choy and green cabbage like the heat, as do collards and Swiss chard.

Other Vegetables

• Zucchini, summer squash and winter squash are in the same family as melons, and produce large amounts of fruit in warm climates, as do cucumbers. Many varieties of beans, among them pole beans, cowpeas and lima beans prefer warm nights as well as hot days. Some heat-tolerant varieties of broccoli, such as Green Comet have been developed that thrive in all but the hottest climates. Okra is a perennial favorite in Southern gardens. The plant is prized not only for its edible pods, but as an ornamental.