A Global Toolkit of Perennial Crops and Regenerative Agriculture Practices for Climate Change Mitigation and Food Security Eric Toensmeier has kindly allowed us to add information from his book The Carbon Farming Solution to the website. Eric identified 700 plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. So far we […]
Spreading the Food Forests Revolution with Edible Perennials
Plants For A Future and the Transition Movement The Plants For A Future (PFAF) research project and the Transition Network (originally Transition Towns) both came from permaculture (‘permanent culture’ and ‘permanent agriculture’). Ken Fern, who created PFAF in 1989, explained in his book Plants For A Future that he discovered permaculture without realising it via […]
Service Tree, Sorb Apple | Sorbus domestica
A delicious fruit for the autumn. Sorbus domestica is a deciduous tree growing to 15m (50ft) at a medium rate with a trunk up to 1m (3′ 4″) in diameter. On exposed sites it may only grow to be a shrub 2 – 3m (6–10ft) tall. Leaves are 15-25cm (6–10”) long, pinnate with 13 – […]
Tropical | Cashew | Anacardium occidentale
A favourite nut growing on large evergreen trees, Cashew (Anacardium occidentale), grows up to 10-12m tall with a short and usually irregularly-shaped trunk. The dwarf version growing to 6m is preferred for commercial crops. It has spreading branches and a canopy that can spread up to 12 m. The leaves are arranged in an alternate […]
Edible Weeds | Urtica dioica | Stinging Nettle
Stinging Nettle is a fantastic underused weed with excellent edible, medicinal and other uses. The Young leaves are cooked as a potherb and added to soups etc. They can also be dried for winter use. Nettles are a very valuable addition to the diet, they are a very nutritious food that is easily digested and […]
Apple Serviceberry, Juneberry | Amelanchier lamarckii
Serviceberry is a small deciduous tree or large shrub growing to 6 m (19ft) by 4 m (13ft). It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from Jun to July. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees. The plant is self-fertile. Good planting habitats include […]
Sheepberry | Viburnum lentago
Sheepberry is a small to medium sized deciduous tree with edible and medicinal uses. It grows to 9m (30ft) by 5m (16ft) with a short trunk up to 25cm (10″) in diameter. It is one of the largest of the viburnums and has a good compact habit, lustrous foliage, abundant beautiful flowers and an attractive […]
Sweet Violet | Viola odorata
A hardy herbaceous flowering perennial with excellent edible and medicinal uses. Young leaves and flower buds are eaten raw or cooked. Usually available all through the winter. The leaves have a very mild flavour, though they soon become quite tough as they grow older. They make a very good salad, their mild flavour enabling them […]
Valentine’s Plants | Peonies
A gorgeous plant in the garden but do you know they also have medicinal and edible uses? A lovely Valentine’s plant, peony flowers are reported to have a number of meanings including prosperity, romance, compassion, and bashfulness. In Greek myth a nymph named Paeonia, whose beauty attracted the attention of Apollo, was turned into a […]
Tropical | Bael Tree | Aegle marmelos
Aegle marmelos – Bael Tree, Golden Apple or Bengal Quince – is a mid-size, slow-growing deciduous tree native to India growing up to 18m in the right conditions. The fruits, leaves, twigs and root of the Bael tree are used medicinally. The tree is considered to be sacred by Hindus. Its fruits are used in […]