Vegetable Plant Families

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This information is helpful when planning crop rotations. Do not plant members of the same family in the same bed or row every year. A minimum three-year rotation among families is advised.

 

Allium or onion family (Amaryllidacea or Alliaceae):

onions, garlic, leeks, scallions, chives, garlic chives, shallots

 

Brassica or mustard family (Brassicaceae):

broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, broccoli raab, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, collards, rutabaga, turnip, horseradish, radish, cress, mustard, watercress

 

Carrot family (Apiaceae or Umbelliferae):

parsley, celery, fennel, carrots, dill, chervil, cilantro, parsnip, cumin, angelica

 

Cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae) family:

squash, cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, gourds

 

Daisy family (Asteraceae or Compositae) family:

lettuce, endive, escarole, cardoon, artichoke, sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke

 

Goosefoot family (Chenapodiaceae):

Swiss chard, beets, spinach, quinoa, amaranth, lamb’s quarters

 

Gramineae (Grass) family:

corn

 

Hibiscus family (Malvaceae):

okra

 

Legumes (Leguminosae):

peas, beans, soybeans, peanuts, lentils, clover

 

Mint family (Labiateae):

basil, mints

 

Morning glory family (Convolvulacea):

sweet potato

 

Nightshade Family (Solanaceae):

tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes, tomatillos, tobacco, Nicotiana, Brugmansia, Datura

 

Rhubarb family (Polygonaceae):

sorrel, rhubarb

 

“Like all plants, every vegetable you eat is part of a specific plant family.  Knowing your plant families can help with your planting and harvesting and with your disease and pest control.  Organic gardeners and farmers often practice crop rotation.  In crop rotation, plant families are cycled from one bed to another (best results occur when families are grown in a specific bed only once every seven years).  This gives pest- and disease-susceptible plant families a better chance and ensures that the soil will not be depleted of the same nutreients year after year (since each plant family takes different needs different nutrients from the soil).  Plant rotation seems complicated at first but once the families are learned, it can become a simple way create the best vegetable production possible.  Containers can be used to add bed space to a small garden and keep the rotation going!”

 

From the excellent blog: http://hortusurbanus.blogspot.com/2010/03/vegetable-plant-families.html

 

In an effort to provide horticultural information, these educational documents are written by Nancy DuBrule-Clemente and are the property of Natureworks Horticultural Services, LLC.  You are granted permission to print/photocopy this educational information free of charge as long as you clearly show that these are Natureworks documents.