About Vegetable Families

Plants are classified using a system devised by Charles Linnaeus in the 1770s. See image right.

This system uses Latin nomenclature to describe groups with shared botanical traits.

Of most interest to gardeners are the terms family, genus, and species.

• Families are large groups of plants that share flowering and fruiting characteristics. For example, the Cucurbitaceae family (squash, cucumbers, melons, gourds, pumpkins) produces both male and female flowers that rely on insects for pollination.

• Genera (the plural of genus) further narrow the morphological qualities that define the group. The Cucumis genus includes melons and cucumbers.

• Further definition is accomplished by combining the genus and the species. Most melons are classified as Cucumis melo. In order to arrive at a specific type of melon, the variety and cultivar are included.

Gardeners should be aware of vegetable families for three very important reasons:

1. Each vegetable family tends to have its own cultural requirements. Knowing these requirements is a prerequisite for getting the plants to grow.

2. Each vegetable family has its own flowering structure and hence, its own pollination vectors. This is important if a gardener wants to save seeds and ensure productivity.

3. Each vegetable family tends to attract certain pests and diseases. Crop rotation by family on a four year basis can help prevent the build up of large populations of harmful elements. Eliot Coleman, one of the iconic figures in organic gardening, says of crop rotation: "To my mind, crop rotation is the single most important practice in a multiple-cropping program."

The number of plant families of value to a vegetable gardener are relatively few. The following chart shows the major vegetable families and their most common members: