Catalog of Species

Amsoy King Mustard (also known as Amsoi or Indian leaf mustard) is a fast-growing leaf mustard variety (Brassica juncea), prized for its characteristic spicy flavor and high productivity. It belongs to the Brassicaceae family, the same as wasabi, cabbage, and broccoli.

It is an annual herbaceous plant with an upright habit reaching 30-60 cm in height. Its leaves are large, oblong, and slightly serrated, of an intense green color, with a firm texture and a characteristic spicy and pungent flavor, due to the presence of glucosinolates, sulfur compounds that also give it its medicinal properties.

It is one of the fastest leafy vegetables to grow: baby leaves can be harvested in 25-30 days and mature plants in 40-50 days from sowing. It is a cool-season crop, ideal for spring and autumn, which tolerates light frosts. Intense heat causes the leaves to become more spicy and bitter, and accelerates bolting.

La ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), también conocida como ginseng indio, cereza de invierno o bufera, es una planta medicinal de la familia de las solanáceas —la misma del tomate y el pimiento— cultivada desde hace más de 3.000 años en la medicina ayurvédica. Es una de las plantas adaptógenas más importantes del mundo, utilizada para ayudar al organismo a resistir el estrés físico y mental.

Es un arbusto perenne de porte erguido y ramificado, que alcanza entre 50 y 120 cm de altura. En climas templados se cultiva como anual, completando su ciclo en una temporada. Sus hojas son ovadas, de color verde grisáceo y ligeramente aterciopeladas. Las flores son pequeñas, de color amarillo verdoso, y dan paso a bayas de un rojo intenso envueltas en un cáliz papiráceo que recuerda a un farolillo, similares a las de la uchuva. Su nombre en sánscrito significa «olor a caballo», en alusión al aroma característico de su raíz y al supuesto vigor que confiere a quien la consume.

La parte medicinal más valiosa es la raíz pivotante, que se cosecha a los 5-6 meses desde la siembra, aunque las hojas y los frutos también tienen aplicaciones tradicionales.

Batavia Green lettuce, also known as Summer Crisp or French Crisp, is a lettuce variety that combines the best of two worlds: the crispy texture of Iceberg lettuce with the sweet and juicy flavour of loose-leaf lettuces. The Vanguard type is a historical selection within this group, recognised for its exceptional resistance to heat and premature bolting.

It belongs to the Asteraceae (composite) family, the same as endive and sunflower. It is an annual plant with a semi-erect habit that forms a semi-dense head of broad, wavy leaves with slightly curled edges, bright green in colour with a firm, crispy and juicy texture. The heart of the plant is more tender and yellowish-green in colour.

Unlike other lettuces that turn bitter with heat, the Vanguard-type Batavia was specifically developed to tolerate high temperatures without bolting, making it one of the best lettuces to grow in late spring and summer. Its growing cycle is 55 to 70 days from sowing to harvest.

The bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), also known as calabash, birdhouse gourd, or white-flowered gourd, is a climbing cucurbit cultivated for thousands of years not only as food but also as a raw material for making containers, utensils, and musical instruments. It is one of the first plants domesticated by humanity.

It is an annual climbing plant with long stems that can reach 5-10 meters in length, equipped with branched tendrils. The leaves are large, heart-shaped or rounded, with a velvety texture and a characteristic musky aroma. It produces white flowers — unlike pumpkins and zucchinis that have yellow flowers — which open at dusk and are pollinated by nocturnal moths.

The fruits are extremely variable in shape and size depending on the variety: from elongated and thin bottles to rounded, pear-shaped, or elongated forms. The skin is smooth and light green when young, turning to beige-brown and hardening into a woody shell as it dries. The young flesh is edible, but the main value of the bottle gourd lies in its use as an artisanal container once dried.

The Cantaline melon is a modern hybrid resulting from the cross between two classic melon groups: the Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis or reticulatus) and the Honeydew (Cucumis melo var. inodorus). It combines the best of both parents: the intense musky aroma and sweetness of the cantaloupe with the firm, crisp texture and refreshing juiciness of the honeydew.

It belongs to the cucurbit family, the same as cucumber, pumpkin, and watermelon. It is an annual herbaceous plant with a trailing or climbing habit, with long, angular stems that spread over the ground, equipped with tendrils. The leaves are large, orbicular, and lobed, of an intense green color. It produces yellow unisexual flowers (male and female) that require insect pollination, primarily by bees.

The fruits are medium to large in size (1-2 kg), with an oval or slightly flattened shape. The skin features a characteristic netting inherited from the cantaloupe, though softer, over a light green to beige background. The flesh is dense, juicy, and buttery in texture, with a color ranging from orange-salmon to light green, depending on the degree of influence from each parent. Its flavor is intensely sweet, with floral notes and a refreshing finish.

Dwarf Green Curled Kale is a traditional kale variety with a compact, dwarf habit, reaching 30-60 cm in height, ideal for home gardens and container growing. It belongs to the Brassicaceae (cruciferous) family, the same as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.

Its leaves are intensely curly and crinkled, of a deep dark green color, with finely curled edges that give it a very distinctive ornamental appearance. Unlike other kale varieties, its compact growth requires less space and makes it especially resistant to wind.

It is a biennial plant grown as an annual, known for its extraordinary cold resistance, withstanding frosts down to -15°C. In fact, intense cold transforms some of its starches into natural sugars, significantly improving its flavor and making it sweeter. Its optimal season is autumn and winter, when other vegetables are no longer producing.

Florence fennel (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum), also known as finocchio or bulb fennel, is a fennel variety specifically selected for its edible bulb — a base of overlapping fleshy leaves that swells forming a bulbous structure, tender and crunchy, whitish-green in color with a characteristic aniseed and sweet flavor.

It is a biennial herbaceous plant grown as an annual, belonging to the Apiaceae (umbellifer) family, the same as parsley, celery, carrot, and dill. Its stems are erect, striated, and branched, reaching 60-100 cm in height when flowering. The leaves are finely divided into filiform segments, bright green, with a very ornamental feathery appearance. The flowers are grouped in compound umbels of yellow color.

Unlike wild fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), which is grown for its aromatic seeds and leaves, Florence fennel develops a tender bulb that constitutes its main culinary use. It is an allelopathic plant: it releases substances that inhibit the growth of many other plants, so planning is required in crop rotation and association.

The Fuentes Sweet Onion is a traditional Spanish variety originating from Fuentes de Ebro, in the province of Zaragoza (Aragón), where it has been grown since time immemorial on the fertile floodplains of the River Ebro. Belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, it is renowned for its exceptionally sweet flavour and crisp, juicy texture, making it suitable for raw consumption without the pungency and sharpness characteristic of other onions.

The plant forms a large globe-shaped bulb, which can reach 400-600 grams. The outer skin is a straw-white colour, thin and shiny, and the inner layers are white, thick, crisp and very juicy. Unlike other varieties, its rings are thick and separate easily. The leaves are long, hollow and medium green.

The secret of its sweetness lies both in the genetics of the variety and in the terroir of Fuentes de Ebro: rich alluvial soils, the riverside microclimate and the Ebro water create conditions that no other area has been able to replicate fully. In fact, the Fuentes Sweet Onion is protected by a quality mark and is celebrated annually at food fairs and gastronomic events in Aragón.

The Giant Pumpkin of Letux (Cucurbita maxima) is a crop from the cucurbit family based on the Full Moon variety, one of the most spectacular white-skinned giant pumpkins. It is grown in the Zaragoza municipality of Letux (Campo de Belchite, Aragón), where the conditions of hot summers and fertile soils along the Aguasvivas riverbank have made it a local tradition among giant vegetable enthusiasts.

It is a plant of trailing and extremely vigorous habit, whose main vines can reach between 5 and 10 metres in length. Its leaves are enormous, heart-shaped, dark green, and rough to the touch. The flowers are large, of a bright yellow colour, and require insect or hand pollination to ensure fruit set. Each plant is grown to produce one or two fruits, concentrating all resources on achieving maximum size.

The fruits are rounded and quite uniform in shape, with a smooth skin of pure white to ivory colour, reminiscent of a full moon —hence the variety's name. Typical weight is between 27 and 40 kg, although with intensive care they can exceed 90 kg. The flesh is yellow, dense, and edible, although its main value is ornamental and for competition. The complete cycle from sowing to harvest is approximately 110 days.

The golden berry (Physalis peruviana), also known as Cape gooseberry, uchuva, aguaymanto, physalis, ground cherry or Inca berry, is a fruit-bearing plant of the Solanaceae family native to the South American Andes, where it has been cultivated since pre-Columbian times. It produces small, round berries of an intense golden yellow colour, wrapped in a delicate papery calyx (husk) that protects them like a natural Chinese lantern.

It is a perennial shrubby plant grown as an annual in temperate climates. It reaches 1 to 2 metres in height, with branching stems, heart-shaped, downy leaves, and yellow flowers with purple blotches in the centre. The fruits, the size of a large cherry or cherry tomato, ripen inside their characteristic husk, which changes from green to golden brown when ready.

The flavour of the golden berry is unique and complex: a blend of sweet and tart with tropical notes reminiscent of pineapple, strawberry and tomato. It is highly prized in international haute cuisine as a decorative and contrasting element.

The Ho Chi Minh melon is a tropical variety native to Vietnam, known for its extraordinary vigor and remarkable adaptation to high humidity and extreme heat conditions, unlike most melons which prefer dry climates. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the cucurbit family, with a creeping habit and large, lobed leaves.

Its main attraction is its small fruits, with a characteristic tiger-striped color, displaying stripes in yellow and mahogany tones or intense orange with yellow stripes. The flesh can be crisp white, creamy, or dark orange, with a buttery texture and a very intense aroma. Its flavor is unique: sweet and juicy, with a slightly acidic touch reminiscent of pineapple, banana, or pear.

Each fruit weighs between 100 and 250 grams, and a single plant can produce 20 to 30 melons per season. Flowering takes place in spring and summer.

Japanese Striped Maize (Zea mays L. var. japonica), also known as variegated Japanese corn, Striped Japonica Corn, or Japanese Striped Ornamental Corn, is an ornamental variety of corn from the Poaceae (grass) family, grown primarily for the spectacular beauty of its foliage. Unlike common corn, its main appeal lies not in the ear but in its variegated leaves, which display longitudinal stripes in shades of green, creamy white, yellow, and occasionally pink, creating a visually striking effect in the garden.

It is an annual herbaceous plant with an upright and graceful habit, reaching between 1.2 and 1.8 meters in height, with vigorous growth and an open, arching form. Its leaves are long, broad, ribbon-like, and lanceolate, with the characteristic variegation that gives it its name and makes each plant slightly different. The tassels or male inflorescences are a striking wine burgundy color, and the ears it produces are small, with kernels in shades of dark crimson to black, highly decorative both on the plant and in dried arrangements.

The entire plant cycle, from sowing to ear harvest, is completed in approximately 85 to 95 days, making it an ideal choice for adding height, texture, and color to the vegetable garden or ornamental border in a single season.