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Checklist of plants suitable for ground cover: B

Key.. A.. B.. C.. D-F.. G.. H.. I-L.. M-O.. P.. R-S.. T-X..

 

Botanical name Common name Habit Evergreen/ Deciduous Height (meters) Hardiness zone Soil Shade Moisture pH Growth rate Notes
Baccharis pilularis Chaparral broom Sh E 0.50 8 LMH N DM ANB M Tolerates poor soils. A good ground stabilizer.
Baccharis viminea Mule fat Sh E 4.00 8 LMH N DM ANB M Tolerates poor soils. A good ground stabilizer.
Ballota pseudodictamnus   P E 0.60 8 LMH N DM ANB M Flowers are used as candle wicks.
Bergenia ciliata   P E 0.30 7 LMH SN M ANB M Medicinal. Tolerates poor soils.
Bergenia crassifolia   P E 0.30 3 LMH FSN M ANB S A tea is made from the leaves.
Bergenia purpurascens   P E 0.45 4 LMH SN M ANB S Medicinal.
Blechnum spicant Hard Fern F E 0.30 5 LMH FSN M AN S Root and young leaves - cooked.
Brachyglottis 'Sunshine'   Sh E 1.50 8 LMH N M ANB S Tolerates maritime exposure and drought.

Edible Trees and Shrubs Hardy in temperate zones.
Checklist of plants suitable for hedging and windbreaks.
Checklist of Trees and Shrubs for Shelterbelts.

KEY.

Habit: A = Annual. B = Bamboo. Bi = Biennial. Cl - Climber. F = Fern. Sh = Shrub. T = Tree. P = Perennial.

Deciduous/Evergreen: D = Deciduous. E = Evergreen.

Hardiness zone: 1 = Succeeds in the Arctic zone. 10 = Does not tolerate frost. Most of Britain is in zone 7, the milder areas are zone 8 (though some zone 9 plants can be there), some upland and northern areas are 6 or lower.

Soil: L = Light. M = Medium. H = Heavy.

Shade: F = Succeeds in full shade. S = Succeeds in semi-shade. N = Succeeds in full sun (or no shade).

Moisture: D = Succeeds in dry soils. M = Succeeds in moist soils (the average soil moisture level). We = Succeeds in wet soils. Wa = Succeeds in water.

pH: A = Succeeds in acid soils. N = Succeeds in neutral soils. B = Succeeds in basic (alkaline soils).

Growth rate: S = Slow. M = Medium. F = Fast.

When using this list it is important to remember that it can only contain a small portion of the information we hold on each plant. You are strongly advised to seek more information on any plant before making use of it in the manner suggested. This is especially important with any of the comments on edibility.

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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.

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FOOD FOREST PLANTS

 

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