The beautiful edible rose tree. Gorgeous, tasty, hardy, big… what more could you want?
Box Elder, Acer Negundo
The Box Elder tree is a sadly misunderstood and incredible tree. Useful on so many levels, this beautiful, fast-growing tree is well worth considering if you’re trying to grow a food forest.
French Sorrel, Rumex Scutatus
Picture lime-tinted chard or lettuce. It’s Romain meets rhubarb. In other words, you’ve got to try French Sorrel…
Lambsquarters, Chenopodium Album
Probably the wild edible I eat most, Lambsquarters is a delicious green that makes a great spinach substitute. Close relatives include red goosefoot, orach, quinoa, and dozens of other similar-tasting, similarly edible plants.
Goji Berry, Lycium barbarum
AKA Lycium chinense I love goji berries. They’re not the candy-sweet berries you get with raspberries or strawberries. Rather, they’re more like the flavor of a tomato or bell-pepper, but they are perennial and incredibly hardy. I would love to see these little red ‘maters showing up in the produce department, sold by the pound. But for now, I’ll grow […]
Oregon Grape, Mahonia aquifolium
The Oregon grape (alongside the creeping Oregon grape) is a delightful addition to the garden, but it’s a must-have in the food forest. Edible berries grow in the shade of cover story trees.