Earleaf acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) is an evergreen tree that can grow from 20 to 27 m tall. It is a fast-growing tree with a gnarly trunk and is often multi-stemmed. It blooms in spring with yellowish-orange spiked clusters. Each tree produces about 47,000 seeds per year. It is becoming an invasive tree, displacing vegetation and native plants.

River red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) is a flowering tree that is iconic and widespread in Australia. River red gum is native and endemic to Australia. This species provides shade from the intense heat in Australia, and is planted alongside bodies of water throughout the continent. River red gum is named for its red-colored wood, which is rot-resistant and popularly used as firewood.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an annual grain legume that is an important crop in many regions. The plant has been used as forage for animals and for cow feed. It can be short and bushy or grow as a long vine up to 2 m tall. The edible seeds and seed pods are very small and kidney-shaped.

Pepper elder (Peperomia pellucida) is a perennial flowering plant that blooms all year. The entire pepper elder plant is edible and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Royal poinciana (Delonix regia) is also known as the “peacock tree” or the “flamboyant tree.” It’s a Madagascar native and is known for its brilliant crimson or red-yellow flowers. It grows exceedingly fast, reaching its maximum height of around 12 m in a short amount of time.

Maize (Zea mays) is a well known domesticated cereal grain first domesticated in Mexico. In much of the world it is also called corn. Worldwide cultivation of maize surpasses other prominent grains like wheat and rice. Maize must be planted in the spring due to its intolerance for cold weather.

Centro (Centrosema pubescens) is a legume grown commercially in many tropical climates as a forage crop. The plant contains large quantities of calcium, potassium, and protein. A particularly useful feature of this crop is that it spreads in dense vines that choke out potentially invasive weds.

Golden shower tree (Cassia fistula) is a plant that is found in tropical and subtropical regions. It is at its peak during the middle of the summer. Golden shower tree is both the national flower and tree of Thailand. The Latin name "Cassia" comes from "Kassia", which means "fragrant plant." It holds a sacred place in scriptures like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Portulaca oleracea, colloquially known as common purslane, is an annual succulent species with reddish stems and tiny yellow, five-petal flowers. It is used for culinary purposes in various parts of the world, most often raw, in salads. Common purslane is also a good companion plant for crops that thrive in moist soils.

Four o'clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa), also known as the marvel of Peru, is a perennial, herbaceous, bushy plant with fragrant, showy flowers, commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes. During bloom time, its flowers are closed most of the day; they open between four and eight o'clock, hence the common name four o'clock flower.

European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a large deciduous tree often used for ornamental purposes. European beech tends to out-compete other tree species, due to its dense canopy and tolerance to shade. Its wood is highly valued and has a very diverse use, including making furniture, musical instruments, for construction, as firewood, charcoal, and plywood.

Persea americana, widely known as the avocado plant, is an evergreen tree (semi-deciduous in cooler climates) that is native to Central America. It is cultivated all over the world for its nutritious fruits. Avocado has become an important plant in many cuisines due to its high nutrient and fat content, creamy texture, and distinct taste.

Tropical almond is grown commonly as an ornamental tree. It is prized for its ability to provide shade with its large leaves. These leaves are commonly used in aquariums by fish breeders for their ability to lower the pH and heavy metal content of the water. Although the fruit of the tropical almond is edible, the taste is slightly acidic.

Papaya is a fruit-bearing plant that originates from Central America. The fruits are edible and sweet and juicy when ripe. An enzyme collected from the milky sap is used as a meat softener, which if ingested may be toxic. Keeping a papaya plant in your garden will welcome many birds to your landscape.

Grow stick (Gliricidia sepium) is native to tropical areas such as Mexico and Central America where the trees were traditionally used to provide shade for cocoa plantations. As it is a legume, it fixes nitrogen in the soil. It provides fodder, firewood, live fencing, and green manure, and it is an ingredient in rat poison.

Cypress vine is a beautiful vining plant with fern-like foliage and star-shaped red flowers. Cypress vine is resistant to deer and attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. It thrives in moist but not soggy soil, with full sun and a structure to climb on. This striking plant is toxic like its cousin, the Morning Glory.

White teak (Gmelina arborea) is used commercially as a timber wood and also for wood pulp in the manufacture of particleboard and other wood composite materials. The leaves and fruits of the tree are used for fodder and as a foodstock for silkworms. This is a fast-growing deciduous tree that renews quickly.

Coatbuttons is native to the tropical Americas and has become an invasive weed around the world. It produces arrowhead-shaped yellow or white flowers and hard fruit covered with stiff hairs. This plant is regarded as invasive because it produces up to 1,500 of these hard fruits per plant and spreads easily, outcompeting native vegetation.

The pepper are commonly used for cooking in places such as the Southern U.S. and Central America. Most are moderately spicy, though because there are so many variants, the spice level can vary dramatically. Cayenne powder is also a popular seasoning product made from pepper plants.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) comes from South America but has become a major source of carbohydrates for many peoples around the world. This is especially true in low-income areas since it is cheap to grow. Only when properly cooked the starchy root of it is edible. The rest of the plant is poisonous if eaten. Cassava's natural starches are also useful in laundry products, and it is under investigation as a source of biofuel as well.