Oxalis tuberosa - Oca

Latin plant name Oxalis tuberosa Common plant name Oca Plant type Perennial herbaceous plant Size (meters) < 1m Distinguishing features The plant is not known in the wild, but populations of wild Oxalis species that bear smaller tubers are known from four areas of the central Andean region. Oca was introduced to Europe in 1830 as a competitor to the potato. Oca is cultivated primarily for its edible stem tuber, but the leaves and young shoots can be eaten as a green vegetable also. Andean communities have various methods to process and prepare tubers, and in Mexico oca is eaten raw with salt, lemon, and hot pepper. Oca is fairly high in oxalates, concentrated in the skin, and the bioavailability of oxalate appears to be similar to spinach. Oca is one of the important staple crops of the Andean highlands, due to its easy propagation, and tolerance for poor soil, high altitude and harsh climates. Oca needs a long growing season, and is day length dependent, forming tubers when the day length shortens in autumn (around March in the Andes). In addition, oca requires climates with average temperatures of approximately 10 to 12°C (range: 4°C to17°C) and average precipitation of 700 to 885 millimeters per year. In areas with harsh winter climates, early frosts may cut back the foliage before the tubers have a chance to form. In tropical areas where the days are unchanging in length, oca will not set a crop successfully.

Myrthus - Myrtle

Latin plant name Myrtus Common plant name Myrtle Plant type Evergreen shrub Size (meters) <1,5 - 3 m Distinguishing features The leaf is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flower has five petals and sepals, and numerous stamens. Petals usually are white. The fruit is a round berry containing several seeds, most commonly blue-black in colour. A variety with yellow-amber berries is also present. The flower is pollinated by insects, and the seeds are dispersed by birds that eat the berries. It flowers in the late summer. It is used in the islands of Sardinia and Corsica to produce an aromatic liqueur called "Mirto".

Sambucus nigra - Black elder

Latin plant name Sambucus nigra Common plant name Black elder - Elderberry Plant type Shrub Size (meters) < 2 m Distinguishing features It is grown for the berries and the flowers that can be used for drinks (sambuca drink). The berries are edible after cooking and can be used to make jam, jelly, chutney and Pontack sauce. The fruit is a dark purple to black berry 3–5 mm diameter, produced in drooping clusters in the late autumn; they are an important food for many fruit-eating birds, notably Blackcaps. The flowers can be used to make an herbal tea as a remedy for inflammation caused by colds and fever. It has hollow stams  that can be used for stakes. The stams are opposite, not like the maple that are alternative. The shiitake mushrooms grow under the elders. It needs alcaline soils with lime and stones.

Laurus novelis - Bay laurel

Latin plant name Laurus novelis Common plant name Bay laurel Plant type Hedge evergreen shrub Size (meters) < 1,5 m Distinguishing features Dark ornamental leaves. Yellow flowers in spring followed by green and then black fruits. It is idea for shapping but needs to keep trimming it. Bay is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. It is used to create single erect stems with ball-shaped, box-shaped or twisted crowns; also for low hedges. Laurel oil is a main ingredient, and the distinguishing characteristic of Aleppo soap. Aleppo soap is revered worldwide for its skin care properties. The plant is the source of several popular spices used in a wide variety of recipes, particularly among Mediterranean cuisines.