arbors make use of vertical space on which to grow
10-Minute edible trees, shrubs, and vines.
University Time and Care Edibles require care at specific phases of their growth to remain productive. They will require improved soil, careful watering and fertilizing at the Edible Landscaping right times, and vigilant management of diseases Overview and insects. This is especially true when the plants When people think about growing food in urban are young or just planted. areas, the first idea is usually to hide the vegetable Use garden somewhere in the backyard. Know when to harvest, and be prepared to use the Edible landscaping offers an alternative to abundance from your garden. conventional residential landscapes; edible plants Beauty can be just as attractive while producing fruits and Ornamental plants offer a wide range of flower vegetables. One can install an entirely edible color, foliage shape, texture and leaf color. With a landscape or incorporate some edible plants into little research, it is possible to find edibles with the existing gardens. characteristics you value. For example: 1. Love the pink blossoms on a dogwood tree? An Definition apple tree has beautiful pink blossoms. Edible landscaping is the use of food-producing 2. Enjoy the shape and deep red color of the leaves plants in the residential landscape. It combines fruit on a Japanese maple? Black elderberry has lacy, and nut trees, berry bushes, vegetables, herbs, blackish leaves. edible flowers, along with ornamental plants into 3. Like the bright red fall color of burning bush? aesthetically pleasing designs. These designs can Blueberry bushes do the same. adopt any garden style and may include anywhere 4. Yearn for the big-leaf hostas but dont have from 1 to 100 percent edible specimens. enough shade? Rhubarb plants add drama in a sunny location with big leaves. Why Landscape with Edibles? Enjoy the freshness and flavor of home-grown, Short List of Edible Plants (* denotes native) fully ripened fruits and vegetables. Small Trees (10 to 20 feet) Control the quantity and kind of pesticides and Apple: Choose from semi-dwarf, espalier, and herbicides used on the foods you consume. columnar forms; all have pretty pink blossoms in Increase the food security of your household. spring. Varieties such as Chehalis, Jonafree, Liberty, Save on grocery bills. Prima, and Redfree are resistant to scab. Grow unusual varieties not available in stores. * Black Elderberry: Lacy, blackish leaves are very Get outside, interact with the natural world, and attractive; fruit used for jelly, syrup, and wine. Good have fun. fire-resistant plant. Cherry: Red or golden fruits in summer. Compact Things to Consider forms available for small spaces. Tendency toward Location diseases. Also, birds like cherries, too! Most fruits and vegetables require 6 to 8 hours of Fig: Big, tropical looking leaves. Disease free. sun to produce well. Some of the native plants, such Pear: Asian and EuropeanWhite flowers in early as salmonberry and thimbleberry, can take some spring. Asian pears tend not to have disease shade, as can plants that have edible leaves, like problems. lettuce and kale. Persimmon: Colorful orange fruits in the fall; no Space disease problems. Be sure to think about the mature size of the plant. Plum: Ripe fruits may be green, gold, red, or purple. Dwarf or semi-dwarf trees and smaller-sized shrubs Brooks and Italian varieties of European plums are work well in small spaces. Trellises, fences, and easy to grow. Brown rot is the most common Cucumber: When allowed to climb, the cucumber problem. flowers and fruit make a nice background plant. They * Serviceberry: Clusters of white flowers in early get thirsty in hot weather and need plenty of water. spring; fall color is brilliant yellow to orange. It is Pole bean: Need full sun and good air circulation to adaptable to a wide range of soil types and moisture. avoid powdery mildew. Use in a childrens area to make teepees and tunnels. Shrubs (woody, perennials, annuals; 3 to 10 feet) Blueberry: Beautiful fall color and abundant fruits in Ground covers summer. Easy to grow and has very few disease Strawberry: White flowers in spring and red fruits in problems. summer; strawberries are short lived and need to be Currant and Gooseberry: Abundance of tart berries replanted every 3 to 4 years. used in jams and jellies. Grow easily in medium to Lingonberry: Beautiful and delicate-looking heavy soil and in a wide range of soil pH. evergreen ground cover. They will produce more *Evergreen huckleberry: Beautiful evergreen shrub fruit in full sun but will grow in part shade. with bronze-colored foliage. Likes part to full shade. Lettuce: Leaves range in color from red and green to Rhubarb: Large, interesting leaves and red stems. blue, with a variety of forms. Lettuce may go to seed The leaves of rhubarb are poisonous; eat only the quickly in hot weather; sow seed every 2 weeks to stocks. have a continued supply. *Salmonberry: Ripe berries are bright orange to Kale: Lacy leaves in red, purple, green, and blue. deep red. Naturalizes easily but needs to be Grows best from fall into winter; is a member of the controlled from spreading and taking over. cabbage family and can be attacked by flea beetles Strawberry tree: Large, evergreen shrub with dark and cabbage moth. green glossy leaves and bright red fruit. Flowers in Swiss chard: Brightly colored varieties are the late fall to winter; best placed in a sheltered queens of edible ornamentals. Be aware that slugs location. enjoy Swiss chard, too. Tomato: Attractive, edible fruits in yellow, orange, red, green, purple, and black colors and in a wide Additional Resources range of shapes. Grown as an annual for the Resources for edible plants in the Northwest summer months, tomatoes need sun and heat to One Green World, www.onegreenworld.com mature. Avoid overhead watering to discourage Raintree Nursery, www.raintree.com disease. Home Orchard Society, www.homeorchardsociety.org Vines and other climbers Sunset Western Garden Book Grape (wine or seedless table grapes): Attractive Oregon State University Extension Service, foliage makes good summer shade over an arbor or 200 Warner-Milne Road, Oregon City; patio. Need harsh annual pruning for good http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog productivity. Clackamas County Master Gardeners, Kiwi (fuzzy and hardy kiwi): Exotic foliage, white www.cmastergardeners.org flowers in May, and, in fall, fruit colors in green, red, Master Gardener Advice and brown (colors in fall). Most need a very sturdy structure to support vigorous growth. New, smaller, Call Home Horticulture Helpline: 503-655-8631 self-fertile varieties are available. (Clackamas), 503-821-1150 (Washington), 503- Raspberry: Berries add beautiful color in the summer 445-4608 (Multnomah). and fall. Canes grow fast and fill in a sunny area in Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational spring and summer. Plant it in well-drained soil to programs, activities, and materials without discrimination based on avoid root rot. age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual Marionberry: A blackberry that does not get out of orientation, or veterans status. Oregon State University Extension control, developed at OSU. A special technique is Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. used to train berry canes onto wires.