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Checklist of plants suitable for ground cover: C

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
Calluna vulgaris Heather Sh E 0.60 4 LM SN DM A M Tea, dye, thatching, basketry, brooms.
Campanula portenschlagiana   P   0.25 3 LM SN M NB F Edible leaves.
Campanula poscharskyana   P E 0.25 3 LM SN M NB F Edible leaves.
Campsis radicans Trumpet vine Cl D 12.00 4 LMH SN M ANB F Medicinal.
Carex elata Tufted sedge P E 1.20 7 LMH SN MWe ANB M Edible root and seed.
Ceanothus prostratus Squaw carpet Sh E 0.05 7 LM SN DM ANB M Dye, soap substitute.
Ceanothus purpureus Hollyleaf ceanothus Sh E 2.00 8 LM SN DM ANB M Dye, soap substitute.
Ceanothus thyrsiflorus Blue brush Sh E 4.50 7 LM SN DM ANB M Dye, soap substitute. Tolerates maritime exposure.
Centaurea montana Mountain cornflower P   0.45 3 LMH N DM ANB F Succeeds in poor soils.
Cephalotaxus fortunei Chinese plum yew Sh E 6.00 7 LMH FSN M ANB S Edible seed and fruit.
Chaenomeles speciosa Japanese quince Sh D 3.00 5 LMH FSN M ANB M Edible fruit.
Chaenomeles x superba Dwarf quince Sh D 1.00 5 LMH FSN M ANB F Edible fruit.
Chamaemelum nobile Chamomile P E 0.15 4 LMH SN DM ANB M Tea, condiment, hair shampoo, dye, companion plant, liquid feed and plant tonic, medicinal.
Chelidonium majus Greater celandine P   0.50 6 LMH FSN M ANB F Medicinal. A weed in the garden, only use it in wild areas.
Chrysosplenium alternifolium Golden saxifrage P   0.30 4 LMH SN MWe ANB M Edible leaves.
Chrysosplenium americanum Water mat P   0.10 3 LMH SN MWe ANB M Condiment.
Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Golden saxifrage P   0.15 5 LMH SN MWe ANB M Edible leaves.
Cistus salviifolius Rock rose Sh E 0.60 8 LM N DM ANB M Condiment. Tolerates maritime exposure.
Clematis orientalis   Cl D 2.00 6 LMH SN M ANB F Medicinal.
Convallaria keiskei Lily of the valley P   0.30 3 LMH FSN DMWe ANB S Medicinal.
Convallaria majalis Lily of the valley P   0.15 3 LMH FSN DMWe ANB S Essential oil, dye. Medicinal.
Coprosma acerosa   Sh E 0.10 8 LM SN M AN S Edible fruit. Coffee substitute. Dye.
Coptis brachypetala   P E 0.22   LM S M A M Dye.
Coptis chinensis   P E 0.20   LMH SN MWe A   Medicinal.
Coptis deltoidea   P E     LMH SN MWe A   Medicinal.
Coptis japonica   P E 0.22 7 LMH SN M A   Medicinal.
Coptis occidentalis   P E 0.15 4 LMH SN M A   Dye. Medicinal.
Coptis teeta   P E 0.15   LMH SN M A   Medicinal.
Coptis trifolia Goldthread P E 0.15 2 LMH S M A   Dye. Medicinal.
Coriaria microphylla   Sh D 1.20 8 LMH SN M ANB M Dye, ink, tannin.
Cornus canadensis Creeping dogwood P   0.25 2 LMH SN M AN M Edible fruit.
Cornus suecica Dwarf cornel P   0.15 2 LM SN M AN M Edible fruit.
Coronilla varia Crown vetch P   0.30 6 LMH N DM ANB M Insecticide. Soil stabilizer. Tolerates maritime exposure and poor soils.
Cotoneaster conspicuus   Sh E 3.00 6 LMH SN M ANB M Dye. Wind tolerant.
Cotoneaster microphyllus   Sh E 1.00 5 LMH SN M ANB S Dye. Wind tolerant.
Cyathodes colensoi   Sh E 0.45 8 LMH S M AN S Edible fruit.
Cyathodes fraseri   Sh E 0.15 8 LMH FS M AN S Edible fruit.
Cystopteris bulbifera   F     5 LMH FS M ANB F Edible root. The plant can become invasive.
Cytisus scoparius Broom Sh D 2.40 5 LMH SN DM ANB F Succeeds on poor soils. Condiment, coffee substitute, fibre, dye, brooms. Medicinal.

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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