Arid fruits vegetables and crops

While searching for “arid fruits and vegetables” I was dismayed that most of the results were “arid fruits and vegetables - with artificial irrigation/watering/gardens” so decided to research and make a new list. Comment to add to it.

Semi Arid : when a arid orchard is well established then semi-Arid varieties are possible.

This study only takes into consideration ground moisture - further study of Cold arid (frost or colder winter) and Hot Arid (Sub tropical) to determine compatible.

Definition of Arid is :

"of land or a climate having little or no rain and or too dry or barren (no soil) to support vegetation.

Thus the use of Arid and Semi arid here refers to and should be taken to mean very dry and less dry instead of the true sense of the term. While arid varioulsy refers to 0-200 mm of rain - here arid is refering to upto 300 mm of rain. Semi Arid is said to refer to less than 500 mm of rain - while here it is used to refer to +600 mm of rain

Origin

(AF) Africa

(SA) South America

(NA) North America

(AU) Australia

(CAS) Central Asia ---- incl Middle East, Central Asia, China

(IND) India / South Asia

(MED) Mediterranean

Bush, shrub, vine

Karonja / Carissa Carandas (fruit) (IND)

Grewia Tenax (berry)

Agave (sugar) (NA)

Vitis Arizonica / desert grape (berry) (NA)

Vitis girdiana / desert grape (berry)
Vitis Rupestris (grows in dry ravines)

Sour Pitaya (fruit) (NA)

Yucca Baccata (fruit) (NA)

Capers (vegetable)

Ipomoea costata (desert sweet potato )

Bush tomato (fruit) (AU)

Citrus Glauca (desert lime – the size of indian lemon) (AU)

Crataegus sp. / hawthorn (berry)

Marsdenia Australis/bush banana (fruit and all parts) (AU)

Ribes alpinum (berry)

Mahonia Aquifolium(berry) (NA)

Carpobrotus Edulis (berries and leaves)

Boscia Senegalensis(fruit and or nut and leaves)

Acanthosicyos Horridus (melon)

Kunzea Pomifera (berries - shrub)

Barberry (berry)

Acanthosicyos Naudinianus (melon – must be ripe)

Citron melon (all non bitter types)

Solanum Centrale (fruit)

Solanum Incanum (fruit) (toxic but some cultivars said to be edible)

Selenicereus Megalanthus (fruit – vine)

Tamarix Aphylla (needle leaves – manna on leaves edible)

Calligonum Polygonoides (flower and fruits)

Leptadenia pyrotechnica (flower and fruits)

Colophospermum mopane (general foliage vine)

Grewia sp (bush - berries)

Hospermum Mopane (general foliage vine)

Azanza Garckeana (bush edible seed)

Grindelia sp (maybe edible gum)

Lycium Torreyi / desert Goji (berry) (CAS)

Mahonia Trifoliate / Agarita (berry) (NA)

Malva Neglecta (all parts) shrub

Ziziphus obtusifolia / desert variety (berries)

Physalis Crassifolia / Desert Physalis (fruit)

Raphionacme (Splendens, R. Arabica, R. Madiensis – may other or all variety)

Fockea Edulis (said to be edible by cooking)

Cyperus Esculentus / groundnut grass

Tylosema Esculentum / (perennial large bean)

Rosemary (spice)

Scotia Afra Karoo (perenial bean, semi arid) (AF)

Euclea Undulata (berry, bush, arid)

Ferula Assafoetida) / Hing (bush, arid) spice (CAS)

Ximenia Americana  (fruit, bush looks related to ziziphus) semi arid

Ferula Communis / giant fennel (leaves and seeds ?) (CAS)

Dovyalis-Rhamnoides  (semi arid bu sh berry)

Ligustrum Vulgare / Privet (berry, dried fruits as medicinal tea) bush

Tetragonia tetragonioides (semi arid) edible leaves

Tetragonia Moorei (arid variety)

Capparis sp / Capers (vegetable)

Capparis Decidua / needle leaf bush-tree capers (vegetable-fruit) (IND) (rajastan)

Capparis Mitchellii / broadleaf tree capers (vegetable-fruit)

Capparis lasiantha / broadleaf tree capers (vegetable-fruit)

Cucurbita Foetidissima (edible pumpkin seeds)

Cucurbita Ficifolia (edible pumpkin seeds)

Cucurbita Palmate (edible pumpkin seeds)

Cucumis Metuliferus (melon)

Cucumis Callosus (small melon)
Citrullus Colocynthis / Egusi (edible seeds of melon, vine)

Perenial nut or oil bushes

Simmondsia Chinensis / Jojoba  (nut) bush (CAS)

Cuphea Leptopoda and Viscosissima maybe other varieties (edible – “oil seed”

grains and beans :

Salvia Columbariae/desert chia (grain)

Salvia Hispanica / Chia (grain) (SA)

Cordeauxia Edulis / Yeheb (bean) (not cold tolerant 5 celciu

Sorghum Vulgare / Jowar  (grain- grass)

Pennisetum Glaucum / Pearl Millet / Bajra  (grain –grass)

Eleusine coracana / finger millet / Ragi (grain – grass)

Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba / Guar bean (bean – bush) (IND)

Phaseolus acutifolius / tepery bean (bean bush)

Dolichos biflorus / Kulti (bean bush) (IND)

Vigna aconitifolia / moth bean (bean) monsoon

Mung bean – monsoon

Eragrostis Tef / Tef (grain seed grass) monsoon (AF)

Triticum (wheat variety) monsoon (AF)

Oryza Meridionalis (arid rice)(AU)

Oryza Australiensis (arid rice) (AU)

Oryza Barthii (semi arid – rice)

Rainfed : cumin and psyllium were grown in rotation with sesame and cluster bean.

Amaranth (SA)

Bush Nut crops

Sesamum Indicum / Sesame / Til (nut) monsoon

Carthamus Tinctorius / Safflower (oil seed)

Trees – Small-Medium

Ziziphus sp. / ber (fruit)

Phyllanthus Emblica / Amla (fruit) (IND)

Salvadora Oleoides / Pilu / Meswak (fruit, seed)

Balanites Aegyptiaca (fruit)

Olea Europaea / Olive (fruit and oil)(arid variety : Barouni) (MED)

Prosopis Cineraria / Khejri (pod - tree) (IND) (much rajasthan)

Phoenix sp / Date palm (fruit) (CAS)

Hyphaene Thebaica/ Doum palm (fruit) (AF)

Butia Capitata and B. Yatay / jelly palm (fruit)(semi arid)(SA)

Jubaea Chilensis / wine palm (sap) (SA)

Argan (tree nut) (AF)

Prosopis  sp. / Mesquite (pods)

Terminalia Ferdinandiana / Kakadu plum (fruit and oil nut) (AU)

Capparis Decidua (fruit)

Hippophae Rhamnoides / Seabuckthorn (fruit) lots of fruit

Sclerocarya Birrea / Marula  (fruit and oil)

Caragana Arborescens  (tree –beans) (CAS)

Fig / Ficus Carica (fruit)

Buchanania Lanzan / Chironji (tree nut) (IND)

Strychnos Spinosa and Pungens (fruit edible - seed poisonous) (AF)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wattleseed

Tecomella Undulata / Rohita (medicinal) (IND)

Grewia Asiatica / Phalsa (fruit) (IND)

Azadirachta Indica / Neem (IND)

Borassus Flabellifer / Palmyra palm (fruit and nut)(semiarid) (IND)

Berchemia Discolour (fruit and nut)

Hyphaene Petersiana / palm (fruit and nut – similar to doum palm)

Dobera Glabra (fruit and seed)

Acacia Senegal (fresh pod and seeds) (AF)

Gum Arabic tree

Medemia Argun (fruit and maybe nut and foliage) true desert palm

Washingtonia Filifera  (fruit and foliage) true desert palm (NA)

Carica Candicans - Wild Papaya (arid) (small fruit/veg) (SA)

Euclea Crispa / arid berry small tree

Euclea Pseudebenus small tree med berries arid

Citriobatus Pauciflorus / Arid orange (small fruit) (AU)

Parkia Biglobosa / African Locust bean / arid ice cream bean (pod pulp and seeds) arid (AF)

Semi Arid

Psidium sp / Guava

Annona sp .

Annona squamosa / sugar apple

Anona reticulata /

Ximenia Caffra / sour plum (AF)

Jarilla Caudata fruit (semi arid)

Pappea Capensis ( semi arid, small tree small fruit)

Punica sp / Pomegranate (fruit - semi arid) (CAS)

Jatropha sp (oil nut)

Cydonia / Quince (semi arid) (large fruit / subtropical apple-pear) (CAS)

Dovyalis Caffra / Kei apple (fruit) (semi arid) (AF)

Jarilla Caudata fruit (semi arid)

Ziziphus sp

Ziziphus Mauritiana - Indian Jujube (large, not sour, pictures show semi arid and slightly arid)(IND)

Ziziphus spinosa / Chinese Jujube (not in india – picture show leafy and large fruit – less arid) (CAS)

Ziziphus thyrsiflora – Bangali Jujube (main variety in Bangal = more water, more leave – less arid variety)

Ziziphus mucronata (maybe not india – picture shows growing in dry arid grasslands )

Ziziphus obtusifolia – (not in india very long thorn, pictures show grow in dry arid)

Ziziphus spina-christi – (maybe in india, ie astringent and round) picurte show groing in desert .

Ziziphus nummularia (small bush a common wild variety in india, round leaves and small fruit – arid variety, picutres show arid.

Not india varieties

ziziphus abyssinica (leafy less arid , not india – large round fruit)

ziziphus sativa (vine like branches, med frujit seems like semi arid- arid variety)

ziziphus parryi (large fruit – arid varietys (pics show)

ziziphus xylopyrus (med fruits , small tree – arid)

there are many other wild variety usually with very small fruit

Prunus sp

Large species native to Central Asia. All Prunus sp supposedly have edible fruit. Are small to large bush and small trees. The seeds of the sp generally have poisonous bitter seeds (some less bitter type are eaten in small dose as medicine).  The Prunus listed here are divided into 2 types – the arid type and the semi arid.

Arid

Prunus Scoparia / Wild almond (nut) large bush

Prunus Besseyi / Sand Cherry (berry) small-medium bush,,, maybe more cold than heat tolerant

Prunus Mahaleb / Mahaleb Cherry (small edible berries,  seed used as a spice in small dose, just like the chinese use bitter almond seeds) large bush (CAS)

Prunus Andersonii / desert peach (fruit and if not bitter the nut)

Prunus Mongolica / Mongolian Almond (arid almond) (CAS)

Prunus Ilicifolia / Hollyleaf cherry (arid) (cherry size fruit) (NA)

Prunus Texana / peach-almond-cherry bush (fruit and nut ?)

Prunus Fasciculata / Desert Almond (fruit raw or cooked and nut ?) (CAS)

Prunus Fremontii / desert Plum (NA)

Amygdalus Lycioides / Wild almond , nut , small tree arid ? (CAS)

Semi Arid

Prunus Armeniaca / Apricot (fruit and medicinal nut) (semi arid) (CAS)

Prunus Dulcis / Almond (nut) (CAS)

Prunus Persica / Peach (fruit) semi arid (CAS)

Prunus Domestica / Prune (semi arid )

Prunus Avium / Sweetcherry semi arid

Prunus Cerasus / sour cherry (semi arid

Prunus Spinosa / blackthorn berry (semi arid)

Prunus Africana / African cherry (semi arid) (AF)

Prunus Dulcis var. Amara (bitter almond used as spice or medicine , small tree

Trees Medium

Aegle Marmelos / Bel (fruit) (IND)

Vitellaria Paradoxa / Shea (nut) (AF)

Lasora Cordia / Glueberry (vegetable berry ) (IND)

Moringa Oleifera (leaves and pod) (AF)

Limonia Acidissima / Chinese Woodapple (sour bael) (fruit)

Madhuca Longifolia / Mahua (fruit) (IND)

Schinziophyton Rautanenii / Mongongo (nut) (AF)

Santalum acuminatum / Quandong (fruit) (AU)

Harpephyllum Caffra / Kaffir plum (fruit) (AF)

Ceratonia Siliqua / Carob (pod)

Pistacia (nut) (CAS)

White Mulberry (fruit) (IND)

Ficus Platypoda (fruit)

Dalbergia Sissoo (general tree) (IND)

Ailanthus excels (general tree)

Adansonia Digitata / African Baobab (all parts edible) (AF)

Vitellaria paradoxa / Shea (nut, fruit, flowers) (AF)

Brachychiton Populneus / Kurrajong (edible seed or nut) (AU)

Parinari Curatellifolia / Mobola large tree arid (fruits and edible oil nut) (AF)

Semi arid

Casimiroa Edulis / white sapote (fruit)

Pithecellobium Dulce / (fruit)

Harpephyllum Caffra / Kaffir plum (fruit) (AF)

Diospyros sp / Persimmon

Some variety of Diospyros are semi arid. Recommended growing amidst other trees / not full sun. All Diospyros sp are generally Dioecious / male or female trees, fruit require both male and female

Arid

Diospyros Texana (arid) small black sapote (NA)

Diospyros Ramulosa small tree arid (small fruit)

Diospyros Quiloensis (medium tree) arid, large fruit

Diospyros Lycioides / bush persimmon(semi arid or arid ? Israel) bush small frut normall diospyros large tree

Diospyros Melanoxylon / Indian Persimon / Tendu (aridlarge tree, medium fruit (IND)

Diospyros Austroafricana - Large bush, large fruit arid (AF)

Semi Arid

Diospyros Nigra / D. Digyna (semi - arid) (big - black sapote) (NA)

Diospyros Virginiana / American Persimmon (semi arid) (NA)

Diospyros Glabra – Bush (small fruit) (semi arid)

Diospyros mespiliformis / jackalberry, large tree semi arid (small fruit) (AF)

Diospyros lotus (fruit) semiarid (CAS)

Manilkara sp

Native to Africa and Ranges from bush to large trees and generally semi arid. Other sp are similar and grouped here as well

Semi Arid

Manilkara Zapota, / Chiku (fruit) (AF)small-large tree

Manilkara Concolor / small berry – bush, semiarid (Ziziphus and manilkara ) (AF)

Manilkara Discolor - bush large fruit semi arid (AF)

Dialium Schlechteri / related to manilkara/Mimiscop (small fruit, medium tree semi arid) (AF)

Mimusops Elengi / Bakul  (berry) (large tree) (IND)

Manilkara Hexandra / Khirni (small fruit, large tree semi arid) (IND)

Arid

Mimusops Zeyheri (desert bakul)

Trees – Large

Tamarindus Indica / Tamarind (fruit pod)

Pinyon Pine (nut) (NA)

Syzygium Cumini / Jamun (berry)

Terminalia Chebula / Haritaki (fruit) (IND)

Terminalia Bellirica / Bibhitaki (fruit) (IND)

Bombax Ceiba / Red silk-cotton tree / Salmali (large flowers edible, pods contain cotton and seeds contain edible oil) very large tree, large thorns on stem, arid, north indian version (IND)

Ceiba Pentandra / silk cotton tree / kapok (edible seeds, Leaves, Flowersm, cotton in pods, flowers much smaller than Red Silk cotton tree, this variety is south indian version ie more tropical and less arid (IND)

semi arid
mango




Cactus
Native to North America and a few South America. Cactus are the most varied truly arid plant.
Technically all cactus fruits are edible, though some are just hard seeds or very small etc. The variety which produce large or small less prickly fruit are :

cactus noted as “large” - fruit in many years variedly but not studied here 7,10, 20? + years

Arid
Corryocactus Brevistylus cactus large fruit (NA)

Cholla Cactus (fruit-vegetable) (NA)

Myrtillocactus Geometrizans / Garambullo cactus (fruit) (NA)

Opuntia species / Prickly Pear Cactus. (fruit and leaves) (NA)

Cactus 

credits  John P Marmaro and others

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1801124/what-cacti-produce-edible-fruit-or-are-edible

Opuntia sp / Prickly Pear Cactus (edible fruit and leaves, most common sp,
Opuntia Leptocaulis (thin branch medium fruits) (NA)

Cereus sp (Large)

Cereus repandus

Cereus Pervianus / Kubo cactus 

Carnegia sp / Saguaro (very large)

Carnegia Gigantean (very large)

Pachycereus sp (very large)

Pachycereus Pringlei (very large)

Pachycereus Schottii / Senita (very large)

Pachycereus Weberi / Candelabro (very large)

Saguaro and perhaps Pachycereus usually have to be quite large and old, say, 30 ??? years and 10 feet or so.

Peniocereus sp

Peniocereus Greggii / Arizona Queen of the Night

Peniocereus Johnstonii

Peniocereus Serpentinus

Echinocereus sp / strawberry cactus (small cactus)

Echinocereus Engelmannii / strawberry vanilla

E. Bonkerae, E. Boyce-thompsonii, E. Enneacanthus, E. Cincerascens,

E. Stramineus, E. Dasyacanthus, E. Fendleri, E. Fasciculatus

Lesser known : Echinocereus Brandegeei Echinocereus Ledingii Echinocereus  Nicholii.

Stenocereus sp / Dragonfruit (some large cactus)

almost all species of which produce fruits good to eat some include

S. Fricii / Pitayo de Aguas

S. Griseus / Pitayo de Mayo

S. Gummosus / Pitahaya Agria (very sweet, ferments = sour)

S. Pruinosus / Pitayo de Octubre

S. Montanus / Pitaya Colorada

S. Queretaroensis / Pitaya de Queretaro

S. Standleyi / Pita Marismena

S. Stellatus / Xoconostle

S. Thurberi / Pitayo Dulce

S. Treleasi / Tunillo.

Echiopsis/Trichocereus (SA) (Large)

E. (or T.) atacamensis, E./T. coquimbana and E./T. schickendanzii.

Selenicereus sp espec S. Megalanthus (yellow pitaya)

Mammillaria sp / Chilitos (small)

M, applanata, M. meiacantha, M. macdougalii, M. lasiacantha, M. grahamii, M. oliviae, M. mainiae, M. microcarpa, M. thornberi, and many others; -

Epithelantha sp (similar to Mammillaria)

Coryphantha sp

Coryphantha Robbinsorum

Coryphantha Recurvata.

Myrtillocactus Geometrizans / Garambulo / Blueberry cactus (large)

Harrisia sp (most var edible)

Some prominent : H. balsanae, H. aboriginum, H.simpsonii, H. adscendens, H fragrans, and H. eriophora

Ferocactus sp (edible fruit and flower buds)

Ferocactus Hamatacanthus

F. histrix / borrachito

F. Latispinus / Pochas

Corryocactus / Erdisia ) (SA) (berry fruits)

C. brevistylis, C. pulquiensis, and C. erectus

Epiphyllum / Orchid cactus

E. anguliger  / Phyllocactus darrahii (like gooseberry)

Pereskia sp (leaf bearing tree-shrub primitive cacti)

Pereskia Aculeata

Pereskia Guamacho 

Credits :

Wikipedia

Google.com

Good references :

https://books.google.com/books?id=fr1nBwAAQBAJ

http://austinpublishinggroup.com/jpceonline/fulltext/jpce-v1-id1004.php

http://www.subtropicaldesert.com (for semi arid)