Vegetable classifications

Bulbs

Usually grow just below the surface of the ground and produce a fleshy, leafy shoot above ground. Bulbs usually consist of layers, or clustered segments.

e.g. fennel, garlic, leeks, onions, shallots, spring onions

Flowers

The edible flowers of certain vegetables.

e.g. artichoke (globe), broccoflower, cauliflower, broccoli, choi sum, courgette or other squash flowers, gai  lan (Chinese sprouting broccoli) 

Fruits

Vegetable fruit are fleshy and contain seeds.

e.g. bitter melon, capsicum, chilli, choko, courgette, cucumber, eggplant, fuzzy melon, Indian marrow, marrow, plantain, pumpkin and squash, scallopini, tindora, tomatillo, tomato, turia (ribbed gourd)

Fungi

When referring to vegetables, fungi are commonly known as mushrooms.

button white, Swiss brown, cups (opened not flat), enoki, oyster, Portabello (brown flat or cup), shiitake, truffles - black and white

Leaves

The edible leaves of plants.

bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, lettuce, ong choi, puha, radicchio, silver beet, sorrel, spinach, tat soi, tung ho, watercress, witloof, wong nga baak (Peking cabbage)

Roots

Usually a long or round-shaped taproot.

beetroot, carrot, celeriac, daikon, parsnip, radish, swede, turnip

Seeds

(Legumes) apart from sweetcorn, seeds grow in pods which is sometimes eaten along with the seed.

beans (green, French, butter, snake), broad beans, peas, snow peas, sweetcorn

Stems

The edible stalks of plants when the stalk is the main part of the vegetable.

asparagus, celery, kohlrabi

Tubers

Vegetables which grow underground on the root of a plant.

earth gems, Jerusalem artichoke, kumara, potatoes, yam