Made in the Shade – Edible Landscaping

There’s a big shady spot on the southeast side of my house. A pair of crepe myrtles, a pair of Chinese tallow trees and some Bradford pears form a border around this area.

Grass doesn’t grow well in this spot. About the only plant that grows well in this spot is native straggler daisy (Calyptocarpus vialis), also known as horseherb. Most people think of it as a weed, but it can be a very attractive groundcover for spots like mine that don’t get much sun.

But I want to grow something interesting and more useful in this spot. The soil is quite rich with natural leaf mould compost from the trees that drop their leaves each fall. As far as shade goes, the spot reminds me of a small opening in a forest canopy. A little light gets in, but it’s mostly dappled shade.

I was looking for some shade tolerant plants that can stand our Texas heat. My wife Janessa and I are also big fans of edible landscaping. I settled on planting some ginger, turmeric and a couple of varieties of asian “spinach” that aren’t really spinach.

Let’s start with the later – longevity spinach (Gynura procumbens) and Okinawan spinach (Gynura bicolor). As the genus names imply, they are closely related. Both in the Aster family, these leafy greens contain not only a wide variety of nutrients such as iron, potassium, calcium and Vitamin A, but they also contain many substances that are being studied for therapeutic properties.

For example, in 2021, researchers conducted a study of overweight, pre-diabetic individuals who consumed Okinawan spinach over the course of eight weeks. The researchers concluded that Okinawan spinach provides a significant degree of glycemic control. Regular consumption of the plant could prevent diabetes in at-risk individuals.

Longevity spinach has long been used as a medicinal plant in the tropical regions of Asia. Anecdotal reports suggest, as the name implies, that longevity spinach help people live longer. Though not as well-studied as Okinawan spinach, longevity spinach has been found to contain high levels of antioxidants, which help mitigate the affects of aging in humans.

I tried planting longevity spinach and Okinawan spinach in this spot last year, but they didn’t do well and eventually died. I think I planted them too much in the shade. This time, I’m going to plant them next to the house where it gets more sun. The plants I bought last year came from some person I found on the website Etsy. The arrived bare-rooted and in poor condition, so that didn’t help either.

This time, I purchased them from Baker Creek Seed Company (rareseed.com). They are supposed to come rooted in soil. I’m hoping for better luck this time.

Turmeric and ginger are both in the Zingiberaceae family. These tropical plants with striking flowers are grown primarily for their rhizomes, which are used in flavoring and coloring many Asian dishes. Ginger is supposed to be hardy in USDA zones 9 and above. Turmeric is supposed to be hardy in zones 8 and above. We are located in Zone 8b. Accordingly, turmeric should be able to survive yearround in the ground. I’m going to try to grow ginger in the ground as well, but I’ll be sure to protect it in the winter time.

You can grow ginger and turmeric from rhizomes bought at the grocery store. I’ve tried this before and it takes a very long time for them to grow. Instead, I bought some live plants from Baker Creek.

The plants I ordered should arrive in a few days. I’ll keep everyone updated on the progress of this medicinal garden.