Group by

Saved orderForest layerFunctionWater needsSun

Group bySaved orderForest layerPermaculture functionWater needsSun

apple

Malus domestica

☀️ Full Sun💧💧 Moderate15–25′ tall

A deciduous fruit tree that produces crisp, sweet to tart apples in late summer and fall. Requires full sun and moderate watering, with spring white-pink blossoms and golden-red autumn foliage.

🌸 Blooms: April, May

black locust

Robinia pseudoacacia

☀️ Full Sun💧 Low40–60′ tall

A fast-growing deciduous tree with delicate, fragrant white flower clusters appearing in late spring. Highly adaptable and drought-tolerant once established, though it can spread aggressively through root suckers.

🌸 Blooms: March, April, May

Goumi Berry

Elaeagnus multiflora

☀️ Full Sun💧💧 Moderate6–10′ tall

A deciduous shrub producing silvery fragrant flowers followed by distinctive red berry-like drupes with a tart, sweet flavor prized for fresh eating and preserves. Nitrogen-fixing nodules in roots improve soil while providing a productive food source with minimal maintenance.

🌸 Blooms: April, May

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

☀️ Full Sun💧💧 Moderate3–10′ tall

A native North American shrub prized for its edible hazelnuts and dense growth habit. Valuable for wildlife habitat, erosion control, and food production in temperate permaculture systems.

🌸 Blooms: March, April, May

Black Currant

Ribes nigrum

☀️ Full Sun💧💧 Moderate3–6′ tall

Black currant is a cold-hardy deciduous shrub producing dark purple-black berries with a distinctive tart-sweet flavor, rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Highly valued for fresh eating, preserves, and juices, it thrives in cool climates and requires minimal maintenance once established.

🌸 Blooms: April, May

Gooseberry

Ribes uva-crispa

☀️ Full Sun💧💧 Moderate3–6′ tall

A deciduous shrub producing tart, flavorful berries in summer that ripen from green to yellow or red. Hardy and productive, gooseberries are excellent for fresh eating, preserves, and permaculture food gardens.

🌸 Blooms: April, May

common comfrey

Symphytum officinale

⛅ Part Shade💧💧 Moderate2–4′ tall

Common comfrey is a vigorous perennial herb with large, hairy leaves and bell-shaped flowers ranging from white to purple. Traditionally used in herbal medicine and valued by gardeners for its deep taproot that brings nutrients to shallow soils.

🌸 Blooms: May, June, July

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

☀️ Full Sun💧 Low1.5–3′ tall

Yarrow is a hardy perennial with feathery, finely divided foliage and dense, flat-topped flower clusters in shades of pink, red, yellow, or white. It thrives in lean, dry conditions and attracts butterflies and pollinators.

🌸 Blooms: May, June

Jerusalem artichoke

Helianthus tuberosus

☀️ Full Sun💧💧 Moderate5–9.8′ tall

A tall perennial with sunflower-like yellow blooms and edible tubers that develop underground. Grows vigorously and can spread aggressively, making it useful as both an ornamental and food crop.

🌸 Blooms: August