Alphonse de Candolle, from whose studies much of our information on the origin of cultivated plants is derived, once prepared a list of our common vegetables showing their ancient homes, their wild ancestors, and the length of time during which they have been in cultivation. With some recent additions and corrections by Dr. Orland E. White of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the list is printed below:
The letters indicate the probable length of cultivation.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Date | Origin |
| Artichoke, Globe | Cynara Scolymus L. | C | Southern Europe, northern Africa, Canary Islands. |
| Artichoke, Jerusalem | Helianthus tuberosus L. | E | Eastern North America. |
| Asparagus | Asparagus officinalis L. | B | Europe, western temperate Asia. |
| Bean (Broad or Windsor) | Vicia Faba L. | B(?) | Temperate Europe. |
| Bean (Pole Lima) | Phaseolus lunatus L. | E | Tropical America, Peru, Brazil. |
| Bean (Bush Lima) | Phaseolus lunatus L. | F | Eastern North America. |
| Bean (String, etc.) | Phaseolus vulgaris L. | D | Western South America. |
| Bean (Tepary) | Phaseolus acutifolius Gray | D | Southwestern United States. |
| Bean (Adzuki) | Phaseolus angularis Willd. | (?) | China, Japan. |
| Beet (Chard) | Beta vulgaris L. | B | Canary Islands, Mediterranean region, western temperate Asia. |
| Beet (Root) | Beta vulgaris L. | B | Europe, Mediterranean region. |
| Broccoli | Brassica oleracea var. botrytis DC. | C | Western Asia. |
| Brussels sprouts | Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera DC. | C | Belgium (?) |
| Cabbage | Brassica oleracea L. | A | Western Asia. |
| Cabbage (Chinese) | Brassica Pe-tsai Bailey | B | China, Japan. |
| Carrot | Daucus Carota L. | B | Europe, western temperarate Asia. |
| Cauliflower | Brassica oleracea botrytis DC. | B | Western Asia. |
| Celeriac | Apium graveolens L. var. rapaceum DC. | C | Europe. |
| Celery | Apium graveolens L. | B | Temperate and southern Europe, northern Africa, western Asia. |
| Chives | Allium Schoenoprasum L. | C | Temperate Europe, Siberia, northern North America. |
| Corn (field) | Zea Mays L. | D | Mexico, northwestern South America (?) |
| Corn (sweet) | Zea Mays saccharata Sturt. | E | Eastern North America, New England. |
| Cress (garden) | Lepidium sativum L. | B | Persia (?). |
| Cress (water) | Radicula Nasturtium-aquaticum L. | B | Europe, northern Asia. |
| Cucumber | Cucumis sativus L. | A | India. |
| Cucumber (gherkin) | Cucumis Anguria L. | F | West Indies. |
| Dandelion | Taraxacum officinale Webe | C | Europe and Asia. |
| Egg plant (aubergine) | Solanum Melongena L. | A | India, East Indies. |
| Endive | Cichorium Endiva L. | C | Mediterranean region, Caucasus, Turkestan. |
| Garlic | Allium sativum L. | B | Kirghis desert region in Siberia. |
| Horse-radish | Roripa Armoracea L. | C | Eastern temperate Europe, western Asia. |
| Kale | Brassica oleracea var. acephala DC. | B | Europe. |
| Kohl-rabi | Brassica oleracea var. Caulo-Rapa DC. | B | Europe. |
| Leek | Allium Porrum L. | B | Mediterranean region, Egypt. |
| Lentil | Lens esculenta Moench | A | Western temperate Asia, Greece. |
| Lettuce | Lactuca sativa L. | B | Southern Europe, western Asia. |
| Mushroom | Agaricus campestris L. | C | Northern hemisphere (Europe). |
| Okra (gumbo) | Hibiscus esculentus L. | C | Tropical Africa. |
| Onion | Allium Cepa L. | A | Persia, central Asia. |
| Onion (Welsh) | Allium fistulosum L. | C | Siberia, Kirghis desert region to Lake Baikal. |
| Parsley | Petroselinum Hortense Hoffm. | C | Southern Europe, Algeria, Lebanon. |
| Parsnip | Pastinaca sativa L. | C(?) | Central and southern Europe. |
| Pea (garden) | Pisum sativum L. | A | Western and central Asia, southern Europe, north India (?). |
| Pea (wrinkled garden) | Pisum sativum L. | F | England (?). |
| Pea (edible podded) | Pisum sativum var. saccharatum Hort. | C | Holland, etc. |
| Pepper (red) | Capsicum annuum L. | E | Brazil, western South America. |
| Potato | Solanum tuberosum L. | E | Chile, Peru. |
| Potato (sweet) | Ipomœa Batatas Poir. | D | Tropical America. |
| Pumpkin | Cucurbita pepo L. | E | Subtropical and tropical America. |
| Radish | Raphanus sativus L. | B | Temperate Asia. |
| Radish (Japanese giant or Daikon) | Raphanus sativus L. | ?) | Japan, China. |
| Rhubarb | Rheum Rhaponticum L. | C | Desert and subalpine regions of southern Siberia, Volga River. |
| Rutabaga | Brassica oleracea var. Napo-Brassica L. | C | Europe. |
| Salsify or Oyster plant | Tragopogon porrifolius L. | C(?) | Southeastern Europe or Algeria. |
| Spinach | Spinacea oleracea L. | C | Persia, southwestern Asia. |
| Spinach (New Zealand) | Tetragonia expansa Thunb. | F | New Zealand. |
| Squash (winter) | Cucurbita maxima Duch. | E or D | Tropical America. |
| Squash (summer) | Cucurbita Pepo L. | E | Temperate or tropical America. |
| Tomato | Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. | F | Peru. |
| Tomato (currant or raisin) | L. pimpinellifolium Dunal | F | South America. |
| Turnip | Brassica Rapa L. | A | Europe. |
| Yams | Several sp. including Dioscorea alata L. and D. Batatas Decne. | B (?) | Southeastern Asia, Africa and South Pacific Islands. |
The following list of the common fruits also gives their native country, period of cultivation, and some additional notes about them. Those marked with a star were found in the markets of New York City by Dr. White, who also revised this list. The letters for the dates are the same as in the list of vegetables: