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Checklist of plants suitable for ground cover: D - F

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

 

Botanical name Common name Habit Evergreen/ Decidious Height (meters) Hardiness zone Soil Shade Moisture pH Growth rate Notes
Dactylis glomerata Cock's foot P   1.00 5 LMH SN M ANB F A food plant for native wildlife.
Darmera peltata Umbrella plant P   2.00 6 LMH SN WeWa ANB   Edible leaf stalk. Soil stabilization.
Deschampsia caespitosa Tussock grass P   1.50 5 LMH SN MWe ANB M Edible seed.
Dianthus gratianopolitanus Cheddar pink P   0.30 3 LMH N D NB M  
Dryas octopetala Mountain avens Sh E 0.10 2 LMH N M ANB M Tea substitute.
Dryopteris felix-mas Male Fern F   1.20 2 LMH S DM AN M Edible young fronds - must be cooked.
Duchesnea indica   P   0.10 6 LMH N M ANB F Edible fruit.

Botanical name Common name Habit Evergreen/ Decidious Height (meters) Hardiness zone Soil Shade Moisture pH Growth rate Notes
Elymus arenarius Lyme grass
(Leymus arenarius)		 P   1.20 6 LMH N DM ANB F Weaving, soil stabilization. Tolerates maritime exposure.
Empetrum atropurpureum Purple crowberry Sh E 0.20   LM SN M A S Edible fruit. Wind tolerant.
Empetrum eamesii Rockberry Sh E 0.15 3 LM SN M A S Edible fruit. Wind tolerant.
Empetrum eamesii hermaphroditum Mountain crowberry Sh E 0.30 3 LMH N M AN S Edible fruit. Wind tolerant.
Empetrum nigrum Crowberry Sh E 0.30 3 LMH SN M AN S Edible fruit. Dye. Wind tolerant.
Empetrum rubrum   Sh E 0.30 8 LMH sn M AN S Edible fruit. Wind tolerant.
Epigaea asiatica   Sh E 0.10 4 LM FS M AN   Edible fruit.
Epimedium grandiflorum   P   0.35 5 LMH S M ANB   Young leaves - cooked.
Epimedium sagittatum   P   0.50 6 LMH S M ANB   Young leaves - cooked.
Erica vagans Cornish heath Sh E 0.75 5 LM N DM AN M Dye, brooms, thatching.
Erica x darleyensis   Sh E 0.60 6 LM N M ANB M Dye, brooms, thatching.
Euonymus fortunei   Sh E 4.50 5 LMH FSN DM ANB M Plants can also be grown as a hedge.

Botanical name Common name Habit Evergreen/ Decidious Height (meters) Hardiness zone Soil Shade Moisture pH Growth rate Notes
Fragaria californica Californian strawberry P   0.30   LMH SN M ANB F Edible fruit.
Fragaria daltoniana   P   0.30   LMH SN M ANB F Edible fruit.
Fragaria moschata Hautbois strawberry P   0.45 6 LMH SN M ANB F Edible fruit.
Fragaria viridis Green strawberry P   0.30 6 LMH SN M ANB F Edible fruit.

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.

Hardyness 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.

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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