A kind of year end stock take of useful species growing so far in my food forest and some of their uses
Canopy Layer
- Apples
malus domsestica (4 cultivars,
incl. Rotella, a local variety and Canadian Rennet)
- Medlar
mespilus germanica – edible fruit and
bee attractant
- Sweet
Cherry prunus avium ('Durone') –
fruit and bee attractant
- Sour
Cherry prunus cerasus
- Figs
ficus carica (2 cultivars incl.
Portogallo) – edible fruit
- Plums
prunus domestica (3 or 4
cultivars, incl. Stanley,
wild yellow, wild purple) – edible fruit
- Peach
prunus persica (3 cultivars) – edible fruit
and bee plant
- Pears
pyrus communis (2 cultivars
incl. Decana Inverno and an early ripener) – fruit and bee plant
- Strawberry
Tree arbutus unedo – edible fruit, bee
plant, soil stabilisation
- Persimmon
diospyos kaki – edible fruit
- Sweet
Chestnut castanea sativa –
edible nuts, bee plant, useful timber
- Maidenhair
Tree gingko biloba – edible
nuts, medicinal leaves
- Walnut
juglans regia – edible nuts
- Spruce
picea – An ex-Christmas
tree. Young shoots are rich in
Vitamin C. Useful timber
- Almond
prunus dulcis – edible nuts, bee attractant
- Oaks
quercus – edible nuts and useful
timber
- Baytrees
laurus nobilis – edible leaves
- Black
Locust robinia pseudoacacia –
edible flowers and seed pods, medicinal leaves (anti-viral), nitrogen fixing, slope stabilising, good
firewood
- Elm ulmus – Support for vines, biomass,
edible bark and seeds
- Olives
olea europaea (various
cultivars, incl Pendolo) - edible
fruit, tea from leaves, oil from fruit, useful firewood and timber
- Pomegranate
punica granatum –edible fruit
- Lemon
tree citrus x limon – edible
fruit
- Kumquat
fortunella margarita – edible
fruit
- Loquat
eriobotrya japonica – edible
fruit
- Mimosa
acacia dealbata – nitrogen fixing,
edible flowers, prevents soil erosion
Shrub Layer
- Cornelian
Cherry cornus mas – fruit
- Autumn
Olive elaeagnus umbellate –
fruit, nitrogen fixing
- European
Elder sambucus nigra – edible
fruit and flowers
- Hazel
– corylus avellana – edible
nuts, poles
- Blackcurrant
ribes nigrum – edible fruit
- Redcurrant
ribes rubrum – edible fruit
- Jostaberry
ribes x culverwellii – edible fruit
- Gooseberry
ribes uva-crispa – edible fruit
- Blackberry
rubus fruticosus – edible
berries, tea from leaves
- Raspberry
rubus idaeus – Edible berries,
leaves for tea
- Japanese
Quince Chaenomeles japonica –
edible fruit
- Oregon
Grapes mahonia aquifolium –
edible berries, slope stabilisation
- Roses
rosa
– edible hips, bee plant
- Bamboo
– Edible shoots, canes, biomass
- Myrtle
myrtus communis – edible berries
and leaves, medicinal, bee plant
- Rosemary
rosmarinus officinalis – edible
leaves, bee plant, medicinal
- Sage
salvia officinalis – edible
leaves, bee plant, medicinal
- Lavender
lavendula – perfumery,
medicinal, bee plant
- Hibiscus
hisbiscus syriacus – edible
leaves and flower, bee plant
- Sloe
prunus spinosa – edible berries,
tea made from leaves, fruit as cosmetic face mask, headge plant,
stabilising slopes, good wood for walking sticks, attracts wildlife
- Litchi
Tomato or Sticky Nighthshade solanum
sysimbriifolium – edible fruit, disease resistant (protects tomatoes
& potatoes from potato cyst nematode), hedge plant (I call them viscious bastards due to their nasty spikes)
Perennial Ground Cover Layer - Most of those are spontaneously appearing on my land and encouraged to stay
- Wild
strawberries fragaria vesca –
edible fruit and leaves, ground cover
- Wild
garlic or three-cornered leek allium triquetrum -
edible leaves and bulbs, ground cover
- Wild
Leek allium ampeloprasum – Whole
plant edible
- Chives
allium schoenoprasum – edible
leaves, ground cover
- Mallow
malva – edible leaves, flowers
and seeds
- Asparagus
(wild & cultivated) asparagus
officinialis – edible shoots
- Wild
beet beta vulgaris – edible
leaves and stalks
- Wild
rocket diplotaxis tenuifolia –
edible leaves, ground cover
- Bellflower campanula (5 species: c. latifolia, c. rapunculus, c.
glomerata, c. carpatica, c. medium) – edible flowers and leaves, bee plants
- Red
Valerian centranthus rubber - edible leaves, bumble bee plant
- Bugle
ajuga reptans – medicinal uses,
bee plant
- Cardoon
cynara cardunculus – ground
cover, edible stalks and flower buds (to sow)
- Fennel
foeniculum vulgare – edible
leaves and seeds, beneficial insect attractant, nutrient accumulator
- Lemon
balm Melissa officinalis –
edible leaves, medicinal
- Lungwort
pulmonaria oficinalis – edible
leaves and flowers, medicinal, ground cover, nutrient accumulatore
- Periwinkles
vinca minor – medicinal, ground
cover
- Good
King Henry chenopodium
bonus-henricus – edible leaves, nutrient accumulator
- Lamb’s
Quarter chenopodium album –
edible leaves, nutrient accumulator
- Chicory
cicorium intybus (various
cultivated and wild varieties) – edible leaves, nutrient accumulator
- Purslane
portulaca oleracea – edible
leaves, ground cover
- Wild
parsley anthrisiscus sylvestris –
edible leaves and roots, nutrient accumulator
- Wild
Carrot daucus carota – edible
leaves and root, nutrient accumulator
- Ground
Ivy glechoma hederacea - edible leaves, ground cover
- Lovage
levisticum officinale – edible
leaves, attracts beneficial insects, nutrient accumulator
- Hollyhock
alcea – edible leaves and
flowers, bee plant
- Bracken
pteridum aquilinum – edible
shoots, ground cover
- Polypody polypodium vulgare - roots as sugar substitute, medicinal, ground cover, nutrient accumulator
- Mint
menta (various species) – edible
leaves, attracts beneficial insects repels pests.
- Watercress
nasturtium officinale – edible
leaves and stems
- Oregano
origanum vulgare – edible leaves
and flowers, ground cover
- Wood
sorrel oxalis acetosella –
edible leaves, ground cover, nutrient accumulator
- Garlic
Mustard alliaria petiolata –
edible leaves and seeds
- Black
Mustard brassica nigra – edible
leaves and seeds, nutrient accumulator
- Plantains,
Ribwort and Greater plantago
lanceolata, p. major – medicinal uses nutrient accumulator
- French
Scorzanera reichardia picroides
– edible leaves and roots, nutrient accumulator
- Sorrel
rumex acetosa – edible leaves,
nutrient accumulator
- Dock
rumex pulcher, r. obtusifolius, r.
crispus – edible leaves, nutrient accumulators
- Salad
Burnet sanguisorba minor –
edible leaves
- Scorzanera
scorzanera hispanica – edible roots
and leaves
- Dandelion
taraxacum officinale – edible
leaves and flowers, medicinal, nutrient accumulator.
- Stinging
Nettle urtica dioica – edible
shoots, medicinal, ground cover, insect attractant (butterflies), mineral accumulator,
fibre plant
- Sweet
violet viola odorata – edible
leaves and flowers, ground cover
- Jerusalem
Artichoke helianthus tuberosis –
edible tubers, attracts bees, stems as support poles, wind break
- Primrose
primula vulgaris – edible leaves
and flowers, ground cover, bee plant
- St. John’s Wort hypericum perforatum – medicinal,
tea substitute, bee plant, dye
- Goldenrod
solidago virgaurea – medicinal
uses, mineral accumulator, attracts beneficial insects
- Feverfew
tanacetum parthenium – medicinal
plant, attracts beneficial insects
- Comfrey
symphtum officinalis – edible
leaves, medicinal, nutrient accumulator, nitrogen fixing, ground cover,
bee plant
- Red
clover trifolium pratense –
edible leaves and flowers, nitrogen fixing, ground cover
- Campion
silene vulgaris – edible leaves
- Cat’s
Ear hypochoeris radicata – edible
leaves
- Cowslip
primula vera – edible leaves and
flowers, medicinal
- Daisy
bellis perennis – edible leaves
and flowers, ground cover
- Tuberous
Hawkbit leontodon tuberosis –
edible leaves and roots, nutrient accumulator
- Hawk’s
Beard crepis leontodontoides – edible
leaves
- Mugwort
Artemisia vulgaris – medicinal,
edible, ground cover, nutrient accumulator, weed suppressant
- Navelwort
umbilicus rupestris – edible
leaves
- Bristly
Ox-Tongue picris echioides –
edible leaves
- Pellitory-of-the-Wall
parietaria officinalis – edible
leaves, medicinal, ground cover
- Sow
Thistle sonchus oleraceus –
edible leaves, nutrient accumulator
- Yellow
Toadflax linaria vulgaris –
edible flowers, nutrient accumulator, bee and butterfly plant, dye
- Thyme
thymus – edible leaves,
aromatic, bee plant
- Yarrow
achillea millefolium –
medicinal, edible, nutrient accumulator, attracts beneficial insects,
ground cover
Annual and Biennial Ground Cover Level
- Borage
borago officinalis – edible
leaves and flowers, nutrient accumulator,
bee attractant
- Burdock
arctium lappa – edible roots,
medicinal, nutrient accumulator, bee and butterfly plant
- Chickweed
stellaria media – whole plant
edible, ground cover
- Grape
Hyacinth muscari botryoides –
edible bulbs
- Amaranth
amaranthus alba – edible leaves
and seeds, nutrient accumulator, breaking up hard soils, traps leaf
miners, harbours beneficial ground beetles.
- Field
marigold calendula arvensis –
edible and medicinal, attracts beneficial insects, repels root nematodes
- Poppy
papaver rhoeas – edible seeds,
dye
- Shepherd’s
Purse capsella bursa pastoris –
edible leaves and seeds
- Marigold calendula officinalis - edible flowers and leaves, attracts beneficial insects
- Broad Beans - edible seeds, nitrogen fixing
- a number of other annual vegetables during their various seasons, incl. tomatoes (up to 15 heritage varieties), tomatillos, peppers (some 15 varieties), aubergines, various brassica etc...
Climbers
- Black
Bryony tamus communis – edible
young shoots
- Goosegrass
gallium asparine – edible shoots
- Kiwi - edible fruit
- Grapes
vitis vinifera – edible grapes,
edible leaves
- Old
Man’s Beard clematis vitalba –
young shoots edible
That's 124 species not counting the annual vegetables and everything I have forgotten. Come spring, no doubt I'll find a few more things springing up that I have forgotten about and I'll be planting and sowing more.
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