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Checklist of plants suitable for ground cover: P

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
Pachyphragma macrophylla   P E 0.40 7 LMH FS DM ANB   Edible leaves?
Pachysandra terminalis   Sh E 0.20 5 LMH FS DM ANB M Edible fruit. Drought tolerant.
Paronychia argentea Algerian tea P   0.10 7 LM N DM ANB   Tea substitute.
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper Cl D 30.00 3 LMH SN M ANB F Edible fruit and stems. Dye.
Parthenocissus tricuspidata Boston ivy Cl D 18.00 4 LMH SN M ANB F Edible sap.
Peltaria alliacea Garlic cress P E 0.30 6 LM SN M ANB M Edible leaves.
Pennisetum alopecuroides   P   1.50 7 LM N DM ANB   Edible seed.
Petasites albus Butterbur P   0.60 5 LMH FSN M ANB F Edible leaf stems.
Petasites frigidus Sweet coltsfoot P   0.15 5 LMH FSN MWe ANB F Edible leaves, stems and roots.
Petasites japonicus Sweet coltsfoot P   1.50 5 LMH FSN MWe ANB F Edible leaf stems and flowers.
Phalaris arundinacea Canary grass P   1.50 4 LMH SN DMWe ANB F
Phlomis fruticosa Jerusalem sage Sh E 1.30 7 LMH N DM ANB M Succeeds in poor soils.
Phlomis russeliana   P   1.00 7 LMH SN DM ANB F Drought tolerant.
Phlomis samia   P   1.00 7 LMH SN DM ANB F
Phyla nodiflora Frogfruit P   0.20 10 LMH N DM ANB   Edible leaves. Tea.
Picea abies Norway spruce T E 60.00 4 LMH N MWe AN F Selected dwarf cultivars are used. Edible cones, inner bark, tea. Adhesive, turpentine.
Pinus mugo Dwarf mountain pine T E 4.50 3 LM N DM AN M Condiment, dye. Soil stabilization.
Platycrater arguta   Sh D 0.20 8 LMH S M ANB   Tea. Wind tolerant.
Pleioblastus humilis   B E 2.00 7 LMH S M ANB F Soil stabilization.
Pleioblastus humilis pumilus   B E 1.00 7 LMH S M ANB F Soil stabilization.
Pleioblastus pygmaeus Fern-leaf bamboo B E 0.25 6 LMH SN M ANB F Soil stabilization.
Pleioblastus pygmaeus distichus   B E 0.75 6 LMH SN M ANB F Soil stabilization.
Pleioblastus variegatus White-striped bamboo B E 0.75 7 LMH SN M ANB F Soil stabilization.
Polypodium vulgare Polypody F E 0.30 3 LMH FS DM ANB M Edible root.
Potentilla fruticosa Shrubby cinquefoil Sh D 1.20 6 LMH SN M ANB M Tea. Drought tolerant.
Primula vulgaris Primrose P   0.30 6 LMH SN M ANB M Edible young leaves and flowers.
Prunella grandiflora   P E 0.15 5 LMH SN M ANB M Edible leaves.
Prunella vulgaris Self-heal P   0.15 3 LMH SN M ANB M Edible leaves, drink. Dye.
Prunus laurocerasus Cherry laurel Sh E 6.00 7 LMH FSN M ANB M Edible fruit? Dye. Use selected cultivars.
Pueraria lobata Kudzu vine P Cl   15.00 6 LMH N M ANB F Edible root, stem and leaves. Fibre.
Pulmonaria officinalis Lungwort P E 0.30 4 LMH FS M ANB M Edible leaves.
Pulmonaria saccharata Jerusalem sage P E 0.30 3 LMH FSN M ANB M Condiment.

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.

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.

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