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Checklist of plants suitable for ground cover: R - S

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) Hardyness zone Soil Shade Moisture pH Growth rate Notes
Reineckia carnea   P E 0.10 7 LMH FS M AN  
Rheum palmatum Turkey rhubarb P   3.00 7 MH SN M ANB M Edible leaf stem. Insecticide.
Ribes glandulosum Skunk currant Sh D 0.40 2 LMH SN M ANB   Edible fruit.
Rosa wichuraiana   Sh D 0.30 5 LMH SN M ANB M Edible fruit and young shoots.
Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary Sh E 2.00 6 LM N DM ANB M Condiment, tea. Insect repellent, incense, hair shampoo, essential oil, medicinal.
Rubus arizonicus   Sh D 0.20   LMH SN M ANB   Edible fruit. Dye.
Rubus rolfei   Sh E 0.08   LMH FSN M ANB   Edible fruit. Dye.
Rubus hispidus Swamp dewberry Sh E 0.20 3 LMH SN M ANB   Edible fruit. Dye.
Rubus illecebrosus Strawberry-raspberry Sh D 0.60 5 LMH SN M ANB M Edible fruit. Dye.
Rubus nepalensis Nepalese raspberry Sh E 0.20 9 LMH SN M ANB M Edible fruit. dye.
Rubus parvus   Sh E 0.20 9 LMH SN M ANB   Edible fruit, sap. Dye.
Rubus tricolor Creeping bramble Sh E 0.30 7 LMH FSN DM ANB F Edible fruit. dye.
Ruscus aculeatus Butcher's broom Sh E 1.00 7 LMH FS DM ANB S Edible shoots, coffee. Scourer.

Botanical name Common name Habit Evergreen/ Decidious Height (meters) Hardyness zone Soil Shade Moisture pH Growth rate Notes
Salix repens Creeping willow Sh D 1.50 5 LMH SN M ANB   Soil stabilizer and soil reclamation..
Salvia officinalis Sage Sh E 0.60 5 LM N DM NB M Condiment, tea. Essential oil, insect repellent.
Sanicula europaea Wood sanicle P   0.60 6 LMH SN M ANB   Edible leaves?
Santolina chamaecyparissus Lavender-cotton Sh E 0.60 7 LM N DM ANB M Condiment. Essential oil, insect repellent, dye.
Sasa veitchii Kuma-zasa B E 1.50 8 LMH S M ANB F
Saxifraga stolonifera Strawberry saxifrage P   0.40 5 LMH S M ANB   Edible leaves and flowering stem.
Schizophragma hydrangeoides   Cl D 6.00 5 LMH SN M ANB S Edible leaves.
Sedum acre Common stonecrop P E 0.12 5 LMH N DM ANB F Edible leaves, condiment. Tolerates drought.
Sedum album Small houseleek P   0.10 6 LMH N DM ANB F Edible leaves. Tolerates maritime exposure.
Sedum anacampseros Loce restorer P   0.10 6 LMH SN DM AN   Edible leaves.
Sedum spathulifolium   P E 0.15 7 LMH N DM ANB M Edible leaves.
Sedum spurium   P E 0.15 7 LMH N DM ANB M Edible leaves.
Shibataea kumasasa Okame-zasa B E 0.75 6 LMH S M ANB F
Stephanandra incisa   Sh D 2.50 5 LMH SN M ANB   Edible young leaves.
Symphytum tuberosum   P   0.60 5 LMH SN M ANB F Coffee substitute.

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.

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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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