35 Exotic Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs

Romanesco looks a little like a cactus, with tight clusters of bright-green cone-shaped heads. The taste is said to be milder than regular broccoli, with a delicious nuttiness. Also called Romanesque cauliflower, this veggie is a cool season crop that will bolt in the summer heat—gardeners in climates with hot summers should plant in late summer to early fall for best results.

Watermelon radishes, also called red daikon, get their name from their pink to white exterior and vibrant magenta flesh. Watermelon radishes have a milder, sweeter flavor than other radish types. The heirloom Chinese radish grows best in cool weather, making it an excellent fall or winter crop.

Napa cabbage, also called Chinese cabbage, produces dark green, thick leaves. Young, tender leaves and stalks are excellent for salad mixes and stir-fry dishes. A cool-weather crop, sow seeds 4-6 weeks before the average last frost date.

Coriander is considered both an herb and a spice since both its leaves and its seeds are used as a seasoning condiment. It is a popular ingredient in Asian and Latin American cuisine. Cilantro, fresh coriander leaves, have a strong fragrance and taste. Cilantro bolts quickly in the heat, so plant in the spring or fall. To harvest coriander, cut off the seed heads once the plant browns and place in a paper bag until the seeds dry.

There are two types of fennel: 'Florence' and the herb. Florence fennel is grown for its aniseed-flavored root. The herb is grown to add tang to salads. The plant looks great, too—it has wispy foliage that can grow to 5-feet tall, depending on the variety. Though it is grown as an annual in cooler northern climates, fennel self-seeds easily, so warm climates can expect to see the plants pop up in their gardens the following growing season.

Thai basil is a compact plant with narrow, deeply veined, anise-scented leaves that are widely used in Thai cooking. Smaller than sweet basil, squeeze it into your containers if you're looking for something different.

Daikon radishes, also called white radishes, can grow well over a foot long. Like its other radish cousins, daikons have a spicy, tart taste. They can be chopped up and added to salads, stir-fries and even pickled. Plant seeds in loose, deep soil as soon as the ground can be worked—daikon radishes need 60-70 days to fully mature. Keep the plants well-watered throughout the growing period. Because of their cool-weather requirements (they grow best in temperatures below 80 degrees), try growing daikons as a fall crop rather than a spring crop.

Oriental mustard greens, also called Chinese mustard, are very popular in Chinese and Vietnamese cooking and pickling. They grow best in temperate, cool climates and can be grown as fall and winter crops. Mustard has a mild flavor that will increase in pungency in maturity.

Guava plants will be the star attraction when grown in a bright sunroom. The tropical tree needs plenty of space, light and warmth. Unless you live in a climate with warm winters, bring the plant inside during late fall. Ripe guavas have a sweet, minty, pineapple flavor.

Native to China, kumquats are a slow-growing citrus. Fruits are small and egg-shaped with sweet skins and sour flesh. Kumquat trees are hardy in zones 8-10, but able to withstand temperatures as low as 20 degrees F. In cooler climates, they are best grown as container trees that get brought inside during winter. Kumquats typically produce fruits starting in the fall, continuing through early spring.

Calamondin are a small citrus with fruits that taste like a sour tangerine. The skin can also be eaten and is sweet, balancing out the sourness of the fruit. They are easy to grow and can be kept indoors, but prefer to be grown outdoors, if climate permits, in full sun to part shade.

Kohlrabi, which translates to "turnip cabbage" in German, is a small, sputnik-shaped green or purple member of the Brassica family. It can be eaten raw or cooked, and tastes a lot like broccoli stems. Purple varieties are slower to mature, but hardier. For a fall harvest, sow seeds in late summer; for spring harvests, sow seeds a few weeks before your last average frost date.

Jerusalem artichokes, called sunchokes, look similar to ginger roots, with light brown skin which may be tinged with color depending on the soil they are grown in. Sunchokes are better-adapted to the cooler climates of the northern United States. The tuber tastes similar to a water chestnut and can be eaten fresh or pickled.