Agroforestry Services: Alley crop  Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow  Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Fodder: Bank  Fodder: Insect  Industrial Crop: Biomass  Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Regional Crop

Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil and a very sunny position[200]. Succeeds in dry soils. Highly fertile soils can promote soft sappy growth which is frost tender[200]. Trees tolerate a high pH, saline soils, high winds and drought[200, 238]. They also succeed in poor soils[238]. Trees prefer a more continental climate than Britain[11] and when dormant are hardy to about -20°c in such a zone[200]. They are only hardy to about -10°c in the maritime climate of this country[200]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered from the early morning sun[K]. They succeed on a sunny wall at Kew[11], and also in a more open but sunny sheltered position there[K], but only really succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of Britain[1]. If killed back to the ground by a severe winter, plants can often resprout from the base[200]. The form 'Rosea' is hardier and more compact, succeeding even in the drier parts of Britain if given some protection[11]. Plants are quite tolerant of pruning and can be fan-trained for growing on a wall. Any pruning is best done in late winter or early spring[202]. Often grown as a summer bedding plant[1]. Quite tolerant of being transplanted[200]. Plants often produce suckers[200]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. Special Features:Attracts birds, Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Invasive, Fragrant flowers, Blooms are very showy.

Carbon Farming

• Agroforestry Services: Alley crop  Integrates annual crops with rows of perennials.
• Agroforestry Services: Contour hedgerow  Alley cropping systems on the contour of slopes.
• Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Plants providing crop shade especially trees.
• Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
• Fodder: Bank  Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
• Fodder: Insect  Plants grown for useful fodder insects.
• Industrial Crop: Biomass  Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
• Management: Coppice  Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
• Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
• Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.