Simple Online Photographic Dictionary

Scientific name: cynara cardunculus

Globe artichokes are a type of thistle. The edible part of the artichoke is the young flowerbud. Artichokes are usually boiled in salted water until they are tender. In some countries they are deep fried.

Photo by Pizzodisevo

Scientific name: asparagus officinalis

The asparagus spears that you buy in the shops are the new shoots of a type of plant. They are eaten as a vegetable, and can be cooked in a variety of ways. They are usually eaten alone as a side dish rather than mixed into something else like a stew.

Photo by Bensonkua

The bean is the seed of the bean plant. It is eaten for food, with or without its pod, or used to improve soil. Beans are in the same family as peas. The picture is of some different coloured string beans, still in their pods.

Photo by Sleepyneko

Beets are an edible root vegetable, usually a very dark red. They can be eaten raw in salads, steamed or pickled. The stems and leaves of some varieties are also edible and can be used in the same way as spinach.

Photo by FotoDawg

Scientific name: brassica oleracea

Broccoli is the unopened flower of a kind of cabbage. It is closely related to the cauliflower.

Photo from Flickr

Scientific name: brassica oleracea

Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family, which is why they look like tiny cabbages. They are usually cooked whole, boiled, steamed or roasted. If you overcook them they release chemicals that don't taste very good, so you should only cook them for about 6-7 minutes.

Photo by TheGirlsNY

Scientific name: cucurbita moschata

The butternut squash or butternut pumpkin can be eaten roasted, mashed, or made into soup. It is a quite small, sweet, mild variety of squash.

Photo by DRB62

Scientific name: brassica oleracea

The cabbage is a vegetable. People eat the leaves of the cabbage, not the flowers or roots.

Photo by La Grande Farmers' Market

Scientific name: daucus carota

The carrot is a bright orange edible root. Carrots are crunchy when you eat them raw.

Carrots can be eaten on their own raw or cooked or used in soups, stews, cakes, puddings and in all manner of ways. They are a very common, widely-used vegetable.

Photo by Color Line

Scientific name: apium graveolens

Celery is a plant that grows to be about 1 metre high. It is green and leafy with thick stems and a large root bulb under the ground. In some countries the root is cooked and eaten, but in most countries only the stem of the celery is used.

Celery is used mostly cooked in soups and raw in salads.

Photo by JMRosenfeld