The 20 Best Edimentals — Gorgeous Enough to Front a Border, Productive Enough to Eat Every Week, Ranked by Zone
20 edimentals ranked by dual ornamental-and-harvest scores, sorted by USDA zone — with cultivar-specific picks from zones 3 through 11 and a mechanism for why beautiful plants and edible plants are often the same plant.
When Stephen Barstow coined “edimental” in his 2014 book Around the World in 80 Plants, he wasn’t inventing a category — he was naming something that had always been true about plant biology. Many of the compounds that make plants beautiful to look at are the same compounds that make them worth eating.
Take Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights.’ The translucent crimson, orange, and yellow stems that catch afternoon light like stained glass are loaded with betacyanins and carotenoids — plant pigments that double as potent antioxidants. The ornamental value and the nutritional value are the same trait, visible from different angles. Or consider elderberry ‘Black Lace,’ whose near-black foliage carries the same anthocyanin load that makes elderberries one of the most antioxidant-dense fruits in commercial cultivation. The dramatic foliage looks like a dark-leafed Japanese maple. The berries sell for $15 a pint at farmers’ markets. Both facts trace to the same plant chemistry.
This is why well-chosen edimentals outperform ornamentals on return per square foot. They don’t require you to trade beauty for food. The two attributes come from the same source.
A note on scope: the edible landscaping guide covers the full canvas — structural shrubs, fruit trees, herbs as border plants, and front-yard design frameworks. This article goes narrower. It evaluates 20 edimentals specifically chosen for dual value, scores each one separately on ornamental impact and harvest usefulness, and sorts them by USDA zone so you can identify which ones match your climate. Several plants appear here at a deeper cultivar level than the hub’s overview could go; most are plants the hub didn’t profile at all.
How We Scored These 20
Each plant receives two separate scores, each from 1 to 5.
Ornamental Value: Does this plant contribute meaningfully to the visual structure of the garden for at least one full season? Would a non-gardener stop and ask what it is? At 5, the plant does something a dedicated ornamental would do — it could anchor a border without any food production. At 3, it’s attractive but needs thoughtful placement. At 1, it’s primarily a vegetable in appearance.
Harvest Value: How productive is the edible yield, and how often can you harvest? At 5, the plant genuinely supplements the kitchen with harvests one to three times per week at peak. At 3, it’s a regular garnish or occasional culinary addition. At 1, it’s technically edible but the yield is trivial relative to the space it occupies.
The edimental score (both figures combined, out of 10) is the most useful comparison number. An 8/10 or higher means the plant earns its border position purely on looks and feeds you well. Lower scores favor one value over the other but are still worth growing for specific situations.
The 20 Best Edimentals: Master Table
| Plant | Edible Part | Ornamental Value | Hardiness Zone | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhubarb ‘Victoria’ | Stalks | Giant architectural leaves, red stems | 3–8 | 8/10 |
| Asparagus ‘Purple Passion’ | Spring spears | Purple spears + feathery golden fall fern | 3–8 | 7/10 |
| Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) | Leaves, flowers | Lavender allium pompoms | 3–9 | 6/10 |
| Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) | Leaves, flowers | Blue-purple flower spikes, long bloom season | 4–8 | 7/10 |
| Alpine Strawberry ‘Alexandria’ | Fruit | Evergreen ground cover, white flowers all season | 3–9 | 7/10 |
| Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) | Leaves, flowers | Scarlet tufted midsummer flowers | 3–9 | 7/10 |
| Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’ | Leaves, stems | Five-color translucent stems | 2–11 | 9/10 |
| Kale ‘Dazzling Blue’ | Leaves | Purple midribs, blue-green ruffle, improves with frost | 3–11 (annual) | 8/10 |
| Elderberry ‘Black Lace’ | Cooked berries, flowers | Near-black lacy foliage all season | 4–8 | 8/10 |
| Jerusalem Artichoke ‘Stampede’ | Tubers | Tall sunflower screen, yellow fall blooms | 3–9 | 7/10 |
| Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) | Leaves | Tidy mounding, fragrant, long-season texture | 4–9 | 6/10 |
| Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) | Maypop fruit | Exotic 3–5” daily blooms, butterfly host | 5–9 | 7/10 |
| Okra ‘Red Burgundy’ | Pods | Hibiscus-like flowers, scarlet pods | 5–11 (annual) | 8/10 |
| Purple Basil ‘Dark Opal’ | Leaves | Deep violet foliage, glossy finish | 2–11 (annual) | 8/10 |
| Amaranth ‘Burgundy’ | Leaves, seeds | Six-foot burgundy architectural plumes | 3–11 (annual) | 7/10 |
| Globe Artichoke ‘Green Globe’ | Buds, hearts | Five-foot silver architectural thistle | 7–10 | 9/10 |
| Malabar Spinach ‘Rubra’ | Leaves | Purple stems, glossy tropical vine | 7–11 | 8/10 |
| Pomegranate ‘Nana’ (dwarf) | Fruit | Crinkled orange flowers, jewel-like fruit | 7–10 | 7/10 |
| Eggplant ‘Listada de Gandia’ | Fruit | Lavender-striped fruit, purple flowers | 5–11 (annual) | 8/10 |
| Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana) | Fruit, flowers | Silver-grey foliage, red-stamened edible flowers | 8–11 | 7/10 |
Zones 3–5: Cold-Hardy Edimentals
Cold climates limit ornamental choices more than warm ones do. A plant that looks mediocre in a Massachusetts border doesn’t get the chance to redeem itself through subtropical lushness. The four edimentals below all earn their visual weight through cold winters and short summers, and all produce yields meaningful enough to matter in the kitchen.
Rhubarb ‘Victoria’ — Score 8/10
Most gardeners underuse rhubarb ornamentally. A full-grown crown produces basal leaves that can reach 18 inches wide, with thick red petioles up to 18 inches long — the textural equivalent of a tropical elephant ear plant in a temperate climate. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension recommends pairing rhubarb with “penstemon, tall phlox, iris, and ornamental grasses” to exploit its dramatic coarse texture against fine-leaved companions. The cultivar ‘Victoria’ is the most reliable dual-purpose pick: good stalk quality and fewer flower stalks (which divert energy from leaf production). Only the stalks are edible — the leaves contain toxic levels of oxalic acid. Harvest stalks 8–15 inches long, removing no more than one-third of the plant’s leaves at a time. Hardy in zones 3–8.
Asparagus ‘Purple Passion’ — Score 7/10
The ornamental value of asparagus comes in two distinct phases. In early spring, ‘Purple Passion’ sends up spears with a deep burgundy-violet color that stands out against bare soil. After the 4–6-week harvest window closes, the spears open into 3–5-foot feathery fern-like foliage that turns golden yellow in fall. NC State Extension notes that the fern phase is not purely decorative — the plant is photosynthesizing and storing energy in its roots for next year’s harvest. That mechanism matters: every time you leave the ferns standing through fall rather than cutting them back early, you’re investing in next spring’s spear quality. Asparagus plantings can remain productive for 15 years or more, making it one of the highest long-term return edimentals in this list. Hardy in zones 3–8.
Chives — Score 6/10
Chives solve a specific border design problem: they produce a tidy 12-inch clump that works as edging, indistinguishable from small ornamental alliums when flowering. The lavender pompom flowers in late spring are genuinely attractive — edible themselves, with a mild onion flavor that works well in green salads. The hollow leaves are harvestable year-round in zones 3–9. For a different season and flavor, garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) offer white flowers in late summer and a mild garlic taste in the flat-bladed leaves. Divide either type every 3–4 years to maintain clump density. Chives won’t anchor a border, but they’re among the most reliably useful edging plants on this list.
Anise Hyssop — Score 7/10
Anise hyssop is chronically underplanted as an edimental. The 2–3-foot upright spikes of blue-purple flowers bloom from midsummer through frost — a longer season than most border perennials — and the anise-scented leaves are edible fresh or steeped for tea. Pollinators work the flowers constantly during peak bloom. Hardy in zones 4–8, it self-seeds modestly without becoming invasive, and the fragrant foliage reliably deters deer — a practical benefit in areas where deer pressure is a real constraint. Plant it in the mid-border behind chives and in front of Jerusalem artichoke; the contrasting heights create layered structure without a single dedicated ornamental in the mix.
Zones 4–7: Mid-Latitude Picks
The mid-latitude zone range contains the highest concentration of high-scoring edimentals on this list — partly because many summer annuals peak here, and partly because the combination of distinct seasons drives both prolonged ornamental interest and productive harvests across a long growing window.
Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’ — Score 9/10
The top edimental score in this guide goes to ‘Bright Lights’ not as sentiment but as measurement. No other annual-grown vegetable simultaneously matches a dedicated ornamental on visual impact. A mature planting produces stems in five distinct colors simultaneously — crimson, orange, yellow, white, and hot pink — from the same seed packet. The stems become translucent in low-angled afternoon light, an effect no annual ornamental replicates. The mechanism behind the color matters: the betacyanin and carotenoid pigments producing the stems’ color are the same antioxidant compounds people take as supplements. You are seeing the nutrition. Treat it as an annual in zones 2–11, or as a biennial in zones 8–11 where it overwinters and re-seeds. For those growing edimentals in tight spaces, the snack garden guide shows how to fit high-yield plants like chard into under 10 square feet. Seeds are widely available from seed suppliers and germinate reliably at soil temperatures above 50°F.
Kale ‘Dazzling Blue’ — Score 8/10
‘Dazzling Blue’ is the kale cultivar that finally makes a convincing case for the species as a legitimate ornamental. The heavily ruffled leaves — texture somewhere between a Savoy cabbage and a chrysanthemum — carry deep purple-red midribs against blue-green leaf surfaces. The color intensifies after frost, so late-season plants look better than peak-summer ones. It grows to around 30 inches in a loose rosette, wide enough to fill a mid-border position. Leaves are excellent raw when young and sweet when cooked after frost exposure. As a cool-season annual, sow in late summer (8 weeks before first frost) for fall ornamental impact and a harvest window that extends through hard freeze in zones 6–7.
Elderberry ‘Black Lace’ — Score 8/10
‘Black Lace’ is the single edimental shrub that most consistently surprises garden visitors. The deeply dissected, near-black foliage is frequently mistaken for a Japanese maple or dark smoke bush — neither of which produces a harvest. The color holds all season (unlike some purple-leafed plants that green up in summer heat), and the lemon-scented pink flowers in early summer are both attractive and edible. NC State Extension notes that elderberry berries carry a low-severity toxicity risk when raw or unripe — cyanogenic glycosides are inactivated by cooking, so ripe berries are appropriate for jams, pies, and elderflower preparations once fully processed. Plant ‘Black Lace’ as a 6–10-foot background shrub in zones 4–8. Pair with silver- or chartreuse-leafed companions to maximize the contrast effect.
Jerusalem Artichoke ‘Stampede’ — Score 7/10
Jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) produces both a dramatic structural element above ground and a generous root crop below it. The ‘Stampede’ cultivar reaches 6–8 feet and blooms in September and October — later than most ornamental sunflowers and more valuable in the fall border when other plants have peaked. The tubers are edible raw (nutty, crisp) or roasted. The key caveat is containment: sunchokes spread aggressively via rhizomes and resist eradication. Plant them where lateral expansion is acceptable, or install root barriers. In zones 3–9 they return reliably each year with no intervention, making them a low-maintenance edimental screen for awkward corners that need seasonal height.
Zones 5–9: Wide Adaptors
This zone range spans the Lower Midwest, mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Pacific Northwest — the most populated belt of US gardening. Several plants here are annuals that behave as edimentals across most of the country.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) — Score 7/10
The native passionflower is the most ornamentally extravagant plant on this list. Each flower is 3–5 inches across with a distinctive fringed lavender-and-purple corona — a structure so unusual that it consistently draws comment from garden visitors unfamiliar with it. The flowers open daily from midsummer through early fall, each lasting approximately one day, which means there are always fresh blooms at peak season. UF/IFAS Extension identifies P. incarnata as a host plant for three butterfly species: the Gulf Fritillary, Variegated Fritillary, and Zebra Longwing. The maypop fruits that follow in fall are edible — the flesh is sweet, similar to commercial passion fruit though milder. Hardy in zones 5–9, it dies back to the roots in colder zones each winter and re-emerges reliably. A trellis, fence, or obelisk is required; the vine grows 6–15 feet per season.
Okra ‘Red Burgundy’ — Score 8/10
Okra is in the mallow family (Malvaceae), which puts it in the same botanical group as hibiscus — and ‘Red Burgundy’ has the flowers to prove it. Each cream bloom has a crimson center, opens in the morning, and closes before noon. The scarlet pods follow in 4–5 days; at 2–3 inches they are both peak-tender for eating and visually striking on the plant. Pods left past 5 inches become fibrous for the table but dry to a beautiful deep burgundy useful as cut dried ornamentals. Plants reach 4–5 feet with a branching habit, filling a mid-to-back border position. In zones 5–11 treat it as an annual; in zones 9–11 it overwinters. Start seeds indoors 3–4 weeks before transplant after last frost. Harvest every 2–3 days in peak production to maintain yield quality — pods left too long suppress further flowering.
Purple Basil ‘Dark Opal’ — Score 8/10
‘Dark Opal’ is the high-contrast foliage plant that annual flower borders often need. The leaves are deep near-black violet with a glossy finish and fine serration — distinct enough in color and texture to justify planting for looks alone. The pale lavender flowers attract bees, though pinching them off redirects energy into foliage production and extends the harvest season. Unlike green basil, the anthocyanin-rich leaves intensify in color under full sun rather than bleaching. As a culinary herb the flavor is slightly spicier and more complex than sweet basil, excellent in caprese, infused oils, and vinegars. Plant ‘Dark Opal’ in clusters of 3–5 against light-colored perennials: its deep color disappears against dark soil or dark foliage neighbors. For container edimentals, the edible planter combinations guide has specific pairing recommendations.
Amaranth ‘Burgundy’ — Score 7/10
Grain amaranth in ornamental cultivars is one of the most architecturally imposing of all edimentals. ‘Burgundy’ grows 5–6 feet tall with a central stem and drooping burgundy plumes that read as a cross between ornamental grass seed heads and celosia — a look that no ornamental annual exactly replicates at this scale. The entire plant is edible: young leaves taste similar to mild spinach, and the seeds at season’s end yield a high-protein grain comparable to quinoa in nutritional density. The plumes dry exceptionally well and hold their color for cut arrangements. Sow directly in warm soil (above 65°F) after last frost. Amaranth ‘Burgundy’ is harder to find at local garden centers than Swiss chard; it’s consistently available online. Harvest young leaves throughout the season; cut grain heads when seeds begin to fall when tapped (typically 90–110 days from sowing).
Zones 7–11: Warm-Climate Stars
Warm-climate edimentals often carry the highest ornamental scores on this list. The combination of long growing seasons and subtropical scale produces plants that look like they belong in a designer’s border, not a food garden.
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→ Track My HarvestGlobe Artichoke ‘Green Globe’ — Score 9/10
The globe artichoke earns its architectural keep before it produces a single edible bud. At full size, ‘Green Globe’ produces a 4–5-foot clump of deeply lobed silver-green leaves with a leaf span of 4–6 feet — the visual equivalent of a large cardoon or Melianthus, without requiring tropical-garden conditions. The flower buds are harvested before they open; left in place, they develop into spectacular 4–5-inch purple thistle flowers that are as showy as any ornamental allium and dramatically larger. UF/IFAS Extension identifies artichoke as a front-yard edible landscape plant for its “large leaves, large colorful flowers, and well-defined, compact form.” Hardy as a perennial in zones 7–10, it can be grown as an annual in cooler zones with sufficient summer heat. Each plant produces 4–8 buds per season at peak maturity (typically year 2–3).
Malabar Spinach ‘Rubra’ — Score 8/10
Malabar spinach fills a specific gap: an ornamental-quality tropical vine that produces continuous leaf harvest through summer heat, when most cool-season greens have bolted. The ‘Rubra’ form has vivid purple-red stems and deep glossy leaves that look more like a tropical twining ornamental than a food crop. The leaves taste similar to mild spinach when cooked and are slightly mucilaginous (useful as a thickener in soups and stews). Hardy in zones 7–11, it covers a trellis in 6–8 weeks from transplant. In zones 5–6, treat it as a warm-season annual and start indoors 6–8 weeks before last frost date. UGA Cooperative Extension recommends malabar spinach specifically as a dual-purpose ornamental vine for sunny garden structures.
Pomegranate ‘Nana’ (Dwarf) — Score 7/10
Standard pomegranate grows to 15 feet and exceeds most residential borders; ‘Nana’ stays to 2–4 feet, a container-feasible shrub with all the ornamental traits of its full-size parent at a workable scale. The crinkled crepe-paper-textured orange-red flowers appear from spring through fall, over an exceptionally long bloom season for a fruiting shrub. The fruit is smaller than commercial varieties but produces full pomegranate flavor with the same antioxidant-rich arils. The fine-textured glossy foliage is deciduous in zones 7–8 (brief winter bare period) and semi-evergreen in zones 9–10. At the cold edge of zone 7, container growing allows the plant to be brought indoors during prolonged freezes. Hardy in-ground in zones 7–10; zones 5–6 in containers with winter protection.
Eggplant ‘Listada de Gandia’ — Score 8/10
‘Listada de Gandia’ is an Italian heirloom eggplant with near-zero name recognition outside specialty produce circles, which is a gap worth closing. The fruit is lavender-white with deep purple vertical stripes — a color combination that functions as a genuine ornamental feature, particularly when backlit in afternoon sun. The lavender star-shaped flowers are in the nightshade family and share the same form as ornamental potato vine flowers. The flavor is milder and less bitter than standard eggplant, with tender flesh that doesn’t require salting. As an annual across zones 5–11, it performs best with long, hot summers — the Southeast and Southwest are ideal. A single 5-gallon container produces 8–12 fruit per season. Plant it in a highly visible spot: once harvested, the fruit doesn’t deliver its ornamental value from the kitchen counter.
How to Use Edimentals in a Border: Three Principles
The most common mistake in edimental planting is treating food plants as exceptions — dotted through an ornamental border as gestures toward productivity rather than integrated into the design. UGA Extension’s edible landscaping guidance emphasizes plant selection, not plant separation as the core principle: choose plants that function ornamentally within the landscape structure from the start, rather than adding them as afterthoughts.
Lead with foliage, reward with fruit. The plants with the highest ornamental scores on this list — ‘Bright Lights’ chard, ‘Dazzling Blue’ kale, Globe Artichoke, ‘Black Lace’ elderberry — deliver their ornamental value through foliage or structure, not fruit. Foliage is present all season; fruit peaks for 6–8 weeks at best. Plants that look good before and after their harvest window are worth double the edimental score of plants attractive only at peak production.
Use height layers deliberately. Edimentals span the full height range: 2-inch alpine strawberry ground cover, 12-inch chive edging, 24-inch kale mid-border, 4-foot Swiss chard, 8-foot Jerusalem artichoke screen. A border that uses each zone has the structural logic of any ornamental design — with the added benefit that each layer produces something the kitchen can use.
Harvest toward the back. Harvest disrupts the visual plane of a border. Arrange edimentals so that plants harvested most frequently — cut-and-come-again greens, basil, herbs — are accessible from the back or sides without reaching through the display. Structural edimentals (artichoke, elderberry, rhubarb) that are harvested seasonally belong in front where they command attention year-round.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best edimental for a complete beginner?
Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights.’ It’s among the easiest vegetables to grow from seed, works across almost all US zones as an annual, produces in under 60 days from sowing, and delivers ornamental impact that genuinely outperforms most annual flowers. If you can grow marigolds, you can grow ‘Bright Lights.’
Can edimentals replace ornamentals entirely in a border?
In a well-designed planting, several can do that job. Globe artichoke, ‘Black Lace’ elderberry, rhubarb, and passionflower each do something ornamentally distinctive that a standard ornamental could only partially replicate. A realistic target is replacing 30–50% of a mixed border with edimentals — enough to produce genuine food output while maintaining visual quality through the season.
Do edimentals need different spacing from ornamentals?
Yes, and most gardeners space them too tightly. Edimentals need good air circulation to minimize disease, and many need accessible paths for regular harvest. Rhubarb needs 3 square feet per crown; artichoke needs 4–6 feet across; Jerusalem artichoke needs a barrier or generous space. Design with those footprints in mind from the start, rather than squeezing them into ornamental spacing.
What edimentals work best in containers?
Purple basil, Swiss chard, kale, and Pomegranate ‘Nana’ all work well in containers. The edible planter combinations guide covers specific pot-size and companion recommendations for container edible gardens.
Which edimentals do deer avoid?
Anise hyssop, bee balm, and rhubarb are reliably deer-resistant — the fragrant foliage of the herbs and the toxic leaves of rhubarb deter browsing. Globe artichoke and elderberry are rarely browsed heavily. Swiss chard, kale, and most brassicas are deer favorites and need physical protection.
Sources
Kessler, M. (2024). Asparagus: the Incredible Edible Ornamental. NC State Extension Gardener. https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/04/asparagus-the-incredible-edible-ornamental/
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Tropaeolum (Nasturtium). NC State University.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry). NC State University. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sambucus-canadensis/
University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Division. Rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum). Wisconsin Horticulture Extension. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/rhubarb-rheum-rhabarbarum/
University of Wisconsin-Madison Horticulture Division. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). Wisconsin Horticulture Extension.
Fuder, J. UGA Cooperative Extension. Creating an Edible Landscape. Camden County Agriculture & Natural Resources. https://site.extension.uga.edu/camdenanr/2023/02/creating-an-edible-landscape/
UF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions. Passion Flower. University of Florida. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/passion-flower/
UF/IFAS EDIS. Landscape Design with Edibles (EP475). University of Florida. https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP475
UGA Extension CAES. Edible Landscaping: Add attractive plants to your landscape. CAES Field Report, University of Georgia.
