Which five plants would you choose?

[Chickerdoodle13]

This is an interesting question inspired by my botany final. The question asked what five plants I would choose if I was only allowed to live with those five for the rest of my life (animal proteins are still available for use) and state your reasons.

The first plant that came to mind was hemp (And not for the reasons you would normally associate with the plant!), but because it can be used for canvas, rope, fiber, and even medicinally. Another one I chose was amaranth because you can pretty much use all the parts of the plant and the grain contains a high amount of protein. The other ones weren't quite so easy. I went back and forth between corn, wheat, quinoia, algae, and sunflowers.

So what plants would you choose if you could only choose five for the rest of your life?

 

[redhen]

Thats a tough one...

 

[Mattemma]

I like your choices. Hemp for sure for all its uses.It is a shame we ban it since the THC is nill. I think to yours I would add tomato,zuchinni,and some type of melon like cantelope.Maybe chia.Flax would be useful too.

 

[pdsavage]

Corn,wheat,Tomatoe,pepper and squash or potatoes,can't decide between those 2.

 

[sheaviance1]

Cattails. They are a year round source of food, and fibers.

 

[meldelfc]

Quote:
Cattails? Please excuse my ignorance and explain.

 

[sheaviance1]

Cattails grow at the edge of ponds. They have long, spiky leaves, a "sausage-like" head that contains thousands of tiny flowers. When they come up in spring, the shoots can be harvested and eaten like asparagus. In late spring, the flower spike can be boiled, buttered and eaten like corn on the cob. You can shake the pollen from the cattail flower in summer and use it like flour. And the root can be used like a potato. In the fall, the rootstock fills with starch, which you can harvest and use as flour too.

If I was in survival mode, I'd definitely want Cattails somewhere close by.

 

[StupidBird]

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Between squash and potatoes, I'd go with squash. More edible parts, more caretenoids and other nutrition. Blossoms and seeds can be eaten. Any green potato parts are toxic.

 

[yotetrapper]

corn, wheat, squash, beans, comfrey.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Corn - sweet and field
Sweet potatoes
Peppers - sweet and hot
Cotton
Wheat