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Checklist of plants suitable for ground cover: I - L

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
Imperata cylindrica   P   1.20 8 LMH N DM ANB F Edible young shoots and root. Weaving, paper making, thatching. Tolerates maritime exposure
Iris foetidissima Stinking gladwin P E 0.60 6 LMH FSN DM ANB S Medicinal. Tolerates maritime exposure.
Juniperus communis Juniper Sh E 9.00 2 LMH SN DM ANB S Edible fruit, condiment, coffee, tea. Essential oil, incense, insect repellent. Medicinal.
Juniperus communis nana Juniper Sh E 9.00 2 LMH SN DM ANB S Same as above.
Juniperus conferta Shore juniper Sh E   5 LMH SN DM ANB S Edible fruit. Tolerates maritime exposure.
Juniperus horizontalis Creeping juniper Sh E 1.00 4 LMH N DM ANB S Coffee, tea. Tolerates maritime exposure.
Juniperus sabina Savine Sh E 4.00 3 LMH N DM ANB S Essential oil, parasiticide, insect repellent.
Juniperus squamata Flaky juniper Sh E 8.00 5 LMH N DM ANB S Medicinal. Drought tolerant.
Lamium album White dead nettle P   0.60 4 LMH SN M ANB M Edible young leaves.
Lamium galeobdolon Yellow archangel P   0.30 6 LMH FSN M ANB F Edible young leaves and flowers.
Lathyrus latifolius Perennial sweet pea P Cl   2.00 5 LMH SN DM ANB F Seed, seedpods and young plants might be edible. Drought tolerant.
Liriope graminifolia   P E 0.30 8 LM SN DM ANB M Edible root. Drought tolerant.
Liriope minor   P E 0.30 8 LM SN DM ANB M Edible root. Drought tolerant.
Liriope muscari   P E 0.45 8 LM FSN DM ANB M Edible root. Drought tolerant.
Liriope spicata   P E 0.30 4 LM SN DM ANB M Edible root. Drought tolerant.
Lonicera henryi   Cl E 4.00 4 LMH SN M ANB F Edible flowers, leaves and stems.
Lonicera japonica   Cl E 5.00 4 LMH SN DM ANB F Edible flowers. Tea.
Lonicera nitida Boxleaf honeysuckle Sh E 3.60 7 LMH FSN M ANB F Can also be used as a hedge.
Lonicera pileata   Sh E 0.20 5 LMH FSN DM ANB M Tolerates maritime exposure.
Lysimachia nummularia Creeping Jenny P E 0.15 4 LMH SN MWeWa ANB M Tea.

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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