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Small Perennials/Herbs 15-50cm (6-18in.) for Temperate Food Forests

Rated 3, 4 or 5 out of 5 for edibility

Aralia nudicaulis

Wild Sarsaparilla
Height H: 0.4m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Aralia nudicaulis
4 3 0

Asarum splendens

Chinese Wild Ginger
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Asarum splendens
3 0 3

Astragalus crassicarpus

Ground Plum, Groundplum milkvetch
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light Sun
Moisture Dry

 

Astragalus crassicarpus
4 1 3 Nitrogen Fixer Nitrogen Fixer

Balsamorhiza sagittata

Oregon Sunflower, Arrowleaf balsamroot
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Balsamorhiza sagittata
4 2 2

Callirhoe involucrata

Poppy Mallow, Purple poppymallow, Winecup, Finger Poppy Mallow
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Callirhoe involucrata
3 2 0

Campanula carpatica

Tussock Bellflower, Carpathian Bellflower, Carpathian Harebell
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Campanula carpatica
3 0 2

Campanula portenschlagiana

Adria Bellflower
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Campanula portenschlagiana
3 0 3

Cardamine pratensis

Cuckoo Flower
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist or wet

 

Cardamine pratensis
3 2 2

Chenopodium bonus-henricus

Good King Henry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Chenopodium bonus-henricus
4 2 1

Claytonia megarhiza

Alpine Spring Beauty
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Claytonia megarhiza
3 0 0

Claytonia sibirica

Pink Purslane, Siberian springbeauty
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade, Shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Claytonia sibirica
4 1 0

Claytonia virginica

Spring Beauty, Virginia springbeauty, Hammond's claytonia, Yellow Virginia springbeauty
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7
Light Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Claytonia virginica
3 1 0

Conopodium majus

Pignut
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Conopodium majus
3 0 0

Cornus canadensis

Creeping Dogwood, Bunchberry dogwood, Bunchberry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Cornus canadensis
4 2 2

Cymopterus purpurascens

Gamote, Widewing springparsley
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light Sun
Moisture Dry

 

Cymopterus purpurascens
4 0 1

Dentaria diphylla

Crinkleroot
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Dentaria diphylla
4 2 0

Epilobium latifolium

River Beauty
Height H: 0.4m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Epilobium latifolium
3 2 1

Eryngium maritimum

Sea Holly, Seaside eryngo
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Eryngium maritimum
3 3 2

Fragaria moschata

Hautbois Strawberry
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Fragaria moschata
3 0 2

Fragaria vesca

Wild Strawberry, Woodland strawberry, California strawberry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Fragaria vesca
3 3 3

Fragaria virginiana

Scarlet Strawberry, Virginia strawberry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Fragaria virginiana
3 2 2

Fragaria viridis

Green Strawberry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Fragaria viridis
3 0 3

Fragaria x ananassa

Strawberry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Fragaria x ananassa
5 0 3

Galium odoratum

Sweet Woodruff, Sweetscented bedstraw, Bedstraw
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Galium odoratum
3 3 3

Geum rivale

Water Avens, Purple avens
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist or wet

 

Geum rivale
3 2 1

Geum urbanum

Wood Avens, Bennet's Root - Old man's whiskers, Herb bennet
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Geum urbanum
3 3 2

Hemerocallis dumortieri

Dumortier's daylily
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Hemerocallis dumortieri
4 1 3

Hemerocallis minor

Grassleaf Day Lily, Small daylily
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Hemerocallis minor
4 1 2

Hemerocallis thunbergii

Day Lily
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Hemerocallis thunbergii
4 1 2

Hosta longipes

Hosta
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade, Shade
Moisture Moist

 

Hosta longipes
3 0 3

Lycopus uniflorus

Bugleweed, Northern bugleweed
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist or wet

 

Lycopus uniflorus
3 1 0

Malva sylvestris

Mallow, High mallow, French Hollyhock, Common Mallow, Tree Mallow, Tall Mallow
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Malva sylvestris
3 3 3

Medeola virginiana

Indian Cucumber Root
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Medeola virginiana
4 1 1

Mentha arvensis

Corn Mint, Wild mint
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Mentha arvensis
3 2 3

Mentha x piperita officinalis

White Peppermint
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Mentha x piperita officinalis
3 5 3

Mertensia maritima

Oyster Plant
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Mertensia maritima
3 0 0

Nasturtium officinale

Watercress
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 11
Light Sun
Moisture Wet or water

 

Nasturtium officinale
4 3 2

Opuntia compressa

Eastern Prickly Pear, Prickly Pear Cactus
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10
Light Sun
Moisture Dry

 

Opuntia compressa
3 1 2

Oxalis oregana

Redwood Sorrel
Height H: 0.2m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade, Shade
Moisture Moist

 

Oxalis oregana
3 1 3

Oxalis tuberosa

Oca
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Oxalis tuberosa
5 0 0

Oxyria digyna

Mountain Sorrel, Alpine mountainsorrel
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 2 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Oxyria digyna
3 1 0

Peltaria alliacea

Garlic Cress
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Peltaria alliacea
4 0 3

Polygonum bistorta

Bistort, Meadow bistort, Snakeweed
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist or wet

 

Polygonum bistorta
3 3 2

Polygonum bistortoides

American Bistort
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Polygonum bistortoides
3 1 0

Polygonum viviparum

Alpine Bistort
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Polygonum viviparum
3 1 0

Potentilla anserina

Silverweed
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Potentilla anserina
3 3 2

Primula vulgaris

Primrose, Common Primrose, English Primrose
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Primula vulgaris
3 3 3

Psoralea esculenta

Breadroot, Large Indian breadroot
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun
Moisture Dry to Moist

 

Psoralea esculenta
5 1 3 Nitrogen Fixer Nitrogen Fixer

Reichardia picroides

French Scorzonera, Common brighteyes
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 7 to 10
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Reichardia picroides
5 0 0

Rhexia virginica

Deer Grass, Handsome Harry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Rhexia virginica
3 1 0

Rubus chamaemorus

Cloudberry
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 2 to 4
Light Sun
Moisture Moist or wet

 

Rubus chamaemorus
4 1 2

Rumex acetosella

Sheeps Sorrel, Common sheep sorrel
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Rumex acetosella
4 3 1

Stachys affinis

Chinese Artichoke, Artichoke betony
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Stachys affinis
4 1 0

Stellaria jamesiana

tuber starwort
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Stellaria jamesiana
3 0 0

Streptopus roseus

Scootberry
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
Light Shade, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Streptopus roseus
4 2 0

Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion - Kukraundha, Kanphool, Common dandelion, Dandelion
Height H: 0.5m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Taraxacum officinale
4 3 3

Ullucus tuberosus

Olluco
Height H: 0.3m or 1ft
Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10
Light Sun
Moisture Moist

 

Ullucus tuberosus
3 0 0

Viola canadensis

Canada Violet, Canadian white violet, Creepingroot violet
Height H: 0.4m or 2ft
Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
Light Sun, Semi-shade
Moisture Moist

 

Viola canadensis
3 1 2

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