Some food plants are well suited to agriculture while others are not - this is a theme explored in Guns, Germs, and SteelW by Jared Diamond.
For example, only one Australian plant (the macadamia) has become a successful commercial crop. Other Australian plants can be used as bush tucker (harvested, prepared and eaten) but have not prove practical in commerce.
Many plants can provide high-quality food, but are not suited for storage or transport - so they either don't appear in shops, or appear rarely and for a high price. Growing these in a private or public garden allows the benefits to be enjoyed without worrying about transport or storage - eating them straight off the plant, or picking and using immediately.
Examples are grouped by plant type, below.
Annuals:
- Heirloom tomatoes (don't transport well, but can be delicious and interesting)
Bushes:
Trees:
Semi-wild[edit | edit source]
Australia Aboriginal peoples developed practices to increase the number of food plants, without actually practicing "agriculture." This included letting seeds drop in areas that they frequented (was this a deliberate practice?[verification needed]), and replacing the tops of wild yams in the soil, so they could regrow.
Semi-commercial[edit | edit source]
Sometimes used commercially, but either expensive, or rare in fresh form due to handling challenges:
- Raspberries
- Blackberries - acts as a difficult to control weed, so this is one delicious food you may choose not to grow! Classed as a noxious weed in Australia.[verification needed]
In the garden[edit | edit source]
These plants can provide frequent healthy snacks, and can help introduce children to the joys of healthy natural foods.
Becoming commercially viable[edit | edit source]
Some plants began in this category, but through selective breeding and new growing techniques
became commercial - for example the blueberry.[verification needed]