Vegetables That Can Reproduce on Their Own

Asparagus

• Asparagus is a spring vegetable with shoots that are harvested for culinary purposes while still immature. The asparagus spears encountered on dining tables grow from a crown that produces them for six to seven weeks in a year. Asparagus is normally not harvested for the first three years of its planting. When left alone during this period and allowed to develop a strong root system, it will continue reproducing on its own for as long as 15 years.

Rhubarb

• Rhubarb, which grows in cool climates, is known to endure winters and resist droughts. It's a perennial plant with a crop that grows from crowns of rhizomes and buds. It first appears in the spring, offering petioles for consumption. Its leaves and roots can be used for medicinal purposes, but the leaves contain large amounts of oxalic acid, which is poisonous to humans. The petioles are often used in pies and other desserts.

Artichoke

• Artichoke, very common in Europe, grows wild in its southern regions. In the United States, it's considered gourmet produce and is mostly cultivated in California. The plant consists of long and spiny leaves; stems that grow about a meter from the ground; and large white and purple flowers, the base of which when immature is made up of scales and a heart that end up on dining tables.

Sorrel

• Another hardy perennial, sorrel offers tang and zest to salads with its long and succulent leaves. It has a flavor that's akin to lemon and is commonly added in soups. The leaves also go well with fish dishes. When cultivating sorrel, it's recommended to regularly prune the flowering tops. Doing so ensures more tender leaves.