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Large Perennials/Herbs 1-2m (3-6ft) for Temperate Food Forests

Rated 3, 4 or 5 out of 5 for edibility

Althaea officinalis

Marsh Mallow, Common marshmallow
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Althaea officinalis
5 5 3

Amorphophallus konjac

Devil's Tongue, Devil's Tongue, Snake Plant, Konjac, Konnyaku Potato, Voodoo Lily
Height H: 1.3m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 11
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Amorphophallus konjac
4 2 2

Amphicarpaea bracteata

Hog Peanut, American hogpeanut
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Amphicarpaea bracteata
5 1 0 Nitrogen Fixer Nitrogen Fixer

Apios americana

Ground Nut
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Apios americana
5 1 3 Nitrogen Fixer Nitrogen Fixer

Aralia cordata

Udo
Height H: 1.8m or 6ft
Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Aralia cordata
4 2 0

Aralia racemosa

American Spikenard
Height H: 1.8m or 6ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Aralia racemosa
3 3 0

Asclepias incarnata

Swamp Milkweed, Swamp Butterfly Weed, Marsh Milkweed
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry, moist or wet

 

Asclepias incarnata
3 2 3

Asparagus officinalis

Asparagus, Garden asparagus
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Asparagus officinalis
4 3 2

Brassica oleracea

Wild Cabbage, Broccoli, Tronchuda cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Kohlrabi, Sprouting broccoli
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Brassica oleracea
4 2 2

Cichorium intybus

Chicory, Radicchio, Succory, Witloof
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Cichorium intybus
4 3 2

Crambe cordifolia

Flowering sea kale
Height H: 2m or 7ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Crambe cordifolia
3 1 3

Cynara cardunculus

Cardoon
Height H: 2m or 7ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Cynara cardunculus
3 5 1

Epilobium angustifolium

Willow Herb
Height H: 2m or 7ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Epilobium angustifolium
3 2 2

Filipendula ulmaria

Meadowsweet, Queen of the meadow, Double Lady of the Meadow, European Meadowsweet
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist or wet

 

Filipendula ulmaria
3 3 3

Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel, Sweet fennel
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Foeniculum vulgare
5 3 3

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Liquorice, Cultivated licorice
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Glycyrrhiza glabra
4 4 2 Nitrogen Fixer Nitrogen Fixer

Heracleum sphondylium

Cow Parsnip, Eltrot
Height H: 1.8m or 6ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade, Shade
Moisture Moist

 

Heracleum sphondylium
3 2 2

Ipomoea leptophylla

Bush Moon Flower
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 8 to 11
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Ipomoea leptophylla
3 2 1

Lathyrus tuberosus

Earthnut Pea, Tuberous sweetpea
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Lathyrus tuberosus
5 0 3 Nitrogen Fixer Nitrogen Fixer

Levisticum officinale

Lovage, Garden lovage
Height H: 1.8m or 6ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Levisticum officinale
3 3 2

Ligusticum canbyi

Osha
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 6
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Ligusticum canbyi
3 0 2

Lomatium dissectum

Fernleaf Biscuitroot, Carrotleaf biscuitroot
Height H: 1.4m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 10
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Lomatium dissectum
4 2 2

Malva alcea

Vervain mallow, Hollyhock Mallow
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Malva alcea
5 1 2

Monarda fistulosa

Wild Bergamot, Mintleaf bergamot, Wild Bee-Balm, Lupine
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 10
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Monarda fistulosa
3 2 2

Osmorhiza longistylis

Aniseroot, Longstyle sweetroot
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Osmorhiza longistylis
3 1 1

Perideridia gairdneri

Yampa, Gardner's yampah, Common yampah
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 0 to 0
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry, moist or wet

 

Perideridia gairdneri
5 2 1

Phytolacca americana

Pokeweed, American pokeweed, Garnet, Pigeon Berry, Poke
Height H: 2m or 7ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Phytolacca americana
3 3 2

Rheum nobile

Sikkim Rhubarb
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Rheum nobile
3 2 1

Rheum palmatum tanguticum

Da Huang
Height H: 2m or 7ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Rheum palmatum tanguticum
3 5 0

Rheum x cultorum

Rhubarb
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Rheum x cultorum
4 3 2

Rumex alpinus

Alpine Dock, Munk's rhubarb
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Rumex alpinus
4 2 1

Rumex patientia

Herb Patience
Height H: 1.5m or 5ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Rumex patientia
3 1 0

Symphytum officinale

Comfrey, Common comfrey
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Symphytum officinale
3 5 4

Symphytum uplandicum

Comfrey
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Symphytum uplandicum
3 5 4

Tropaeolum tuberosum

Anu
Height H: 2m or 7ft
Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Tropaeolum tuberosum
4 2 2

Urtica dioica

Stinging Nettle, California nettle
Height H: 1.2m or 4ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 10
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Urtica dioica
5 5 4

Now available: PLANTS FOR YOUR FOOD FOREST: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens.

An important new book from PFAF. It focuses on the attributes of plants suitable for food forests, what each can contribute to a food forest ecosystem, including carbon sequestration, and the kinds of foods they yield. The book suggests that community and small-scale food forests can provide a real alternative to intensive industrialised agriculture, and help to combat the many inter-related environmental crises that threaten the very future of life on Earth.

Read More

FOOD FOREST PLANTS

 

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