When we think about edible plants, we often defer to the tasty tomatoes and peppers we plant in our gardens every year; however, edible perennials deserve equal attention and can provide harvests year after year with minimal effort! Annuals grow, set seed, and perish in one growing season. Perennials, on the other hand, are plants that will grow and thrive in your garden for years making them a fantastic investment for any gardener!

Integrating edible perennials into your home garden can enhance both sustainability efforts and food security. Here are three reasons to incorporate edible perennials:

1.      Boost Biodiversity: Edible perennials create deep, established root systems that help build soil heath and fertility along with drought resistance resulting in less water usage overtime, and a boosted soil microbiome! Perennials also provide food, habitat and pollen for beneficial animals and insects.

2.      Low Maintenance: Despite what you may have heard, ‘no maintenance’ plants don't exist. BUT, once established, edible perennials often require less water and weeding, can withstand extreme temperature fluctuations, and have higher disease and pest resistance than their annual counterparts - increasingly valuable in our ever-changing climate!

3.      Renewable source of nutrition: Beautiful and bountiful, edible perennials offer a wide variety of flavor profiles and nutrient dense crops. Not only do they offer tasty treats, but they create transitional beauty and texture to your landscape!

Blackberries are hardy, fast-growing fruiting plants that thrive in well-drained soil and full sun. They can be grown as bushes or trained on a trellis. Blackberries will typically produce fruit in their second year. These brambly beauties are surprisingly low maintenance, but don’t skip out on pruning unless you want a backyard bramble takeover. Blackberries are a versatile fruit and great for pies, jams, cocktails, or just shoving them straight in your mouth while pretending you're "checking on the garden."

Full sun to part sun. 3 - 6 feet tall and wide (varieties vary). Hardy to Zone 4.

A unique specimen native to Minnesota. While all parts of the cactus are edible, most prefer to harvest the fruit to use in cocktails, juices, jams, and other dishes. Harvesting prickly pears is best done in the late summer when the fruit has turned into a deep magenta color and has no green remaining.

Full to part sun. 1 ft tall and wide. Hardy to Zone 4.

An indigenous American staple and a highly sought after natural wonder for herbalists, Monarda has a wide range of edible and medicinal purposes. Harvest and dry the flowers, stem, and leaves around mid-summer, or when the blooms first appear. Use the dried plant to make a soothing tea rich in antioxidants to fight off the cold and flu season! You can also use Monarda as a substitute for oregano in many recipes.

Full to part sun. 2-4 feet tall and wide. Hardy to Zone 3.

Celebrate the summer solstice with your Honeyberry harvest! Grown for their delectable, oblong, purple/blue berries, Honeyberry are perfect for eating raw or making preserves, pastries, juice, wine, jams, ice cream, yogurt, candies, and sauces. The flavor profile is quite unique to the taste tester and said to have resemblance to raspberry, blueberry, kiwi, cherry, or grapes! Just remember- Honeyberry, like Apples, need a partner honeyberry plant for pollination.

Full sun. 3-4 feet tall and wide. Hardy to Zone 4.

Rich in Vitamin C, Elderberries are often used to make wines, jellies, pies, and jams. You can also use elderflowers to make teas, cordials, and liqueurs. Make sure you are following the essential step of boiling your elderberries before consumption to neutralize toxins. Look for heavy, deep-blue or purple berry cluster to ripen late July - early September.  

Full to part sun. 3-6 feet wide, 6-15 feet tall (varieties vary). Hardy to Zone 4

An abundant producer, mature currants produce up to four quarts of fruit annually! With many varieties to choose from, make sure you find varieties that are native to or cultivated for the upper Midwest. Once berries are true to color, (red, black, or white) harvest the fruit clusters, rather than individual berries. If using it for jams or jellies, harvest just before fully ripens. Currants are one of the richest sources of antioxidants and can be used in place of blueberries in recipes for a tangy twist!

Full sun. 3 - 4 feet tall and wide. Hardy to Zone 4

A tasty treat, if you can get to them before the birds do! Serviceberries grow native to Minnesota in tree and shrub forms. Following their dainty white blooms in the spring are abundant, deep red berries that taste like a raspberry and blueberry had a baby! Use harvested serviceberries for syrups, jams, baking, soups, or even wine!

Full to part sun. 3-10 feet tall and 4-15 ft wide (varieties vary). Hardy to Zone 3.

Edible perennials are an excellent addition to any garden, offering sustainability, resilience, and delicious rewards. When planning your gardens, consider choosing a variety of plants, both perennial and annual, that will create a thriving landscape that provides for you and your family for years to come. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just getting started, there is no better time to cultivate a garden that gives back season after season!

Happy gardening!