A Food Forest!
Similar to companion planting in the vegetable garden to enhance the flavour of the food we grow and the vigour of our garden crops, we can also plant perennials that work together in synergy and feed us too. When done properly this helps our landscape, no matter how big or small, to become more productive and resilient. Perennial plants work together to provide lots of food, medicine, habitat, and nectar in just a small space. To know how to fit plants together we need to know how and where each plant grows, if it needs sun or shade, and how it competes with other plants. Most importantly, take time to observe nature and to understand how to work as part of nature and with it too.
Pay attention to the latin name of each plant and then varieties of species that are more suited to our climate and hardiness zone. (Zone 4 (Northern NB) to Zone 6 (Halifax).
In table below, you will find edible and medicinal perennial plants that can be grown in Atlantic Canada, their latin name, and parts used (both edible and medicinal). Please verify which plant parts are edible versus medicinal before consuming. Great resources are the Peterson Field Guides: Medicinal Plants and Herbs, and Edible Plants – Eastern Canada.
| TREES | SHURBS | HERBS | VEGETABLES |
| Apple Malus sp. (heritage) Fruit | Hazelnut Corylus sp. Nut | Raspberry Rubus sp. Leaf, Fruit | Good King Henry Chenopodium bonus-henricus Leaf |
| Pear Pyrus sp. Fruit | Elderberry Sambucus canadensis Sambucus nigra Flower, fruit | Blackberry Rubus sp. Leaf, fruit | Asparagus Asparagus officinalis Shoot |
| Cherry Prunus sp. Fruit | Highbush Cranberry Viburnum trilobum Bark, fruit | Bluebead Lily Clintonia borealis Leaf | Rhubarb Rheum rhabarbarum Leaf |
| Plum Prunus sp. Fruit | Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum Leaf, fruit | Borage Borago officinalis Leaf, flower | Sea Kale Crambe maritime Leaf |
| Chestnut Castanea dentata Nut *note zone | Hascap Lonicera caerulea Fruit | Sage Salvia sp. Leaf | Jerusalum Artichoke Helianthus tuberosus Root |
| Butternut / Buartnut / Heartnut Juglans sp. Nut | Currant Ribes sp. Fruit | Thyme Thymus sp. Leaf | Horseradish Armoracia rusticana Root |
| Walnut Juglans sp. Nut | Serviceberry Amelanchier spp. Fruit | Oregano Origanum sp. Leaf | Chives Allium sp. Leaf, flower |
| Shagbark Hickory Carya ovata Nut | Rose Rosa sp. Flower, fruit | Strawberries Fragaria sp. Leaf, flower, fruit | Ostrich Fern Matteuccia struthiopteris Shoot |
| Pine Pinus sp. Nut | Gooseberry Ribes sp. Fruit | Dandelion Taraxacum officinale Leaf, flower, root | Nodding Onion Allium cernuum Bulb |
| Oak Quercus sp. Nut (esp. white oak) | Chokeberry Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit | Sweet Cicely Myrrhis odorata Leaf | Cattail Typha sp. Shoot |
| Maple Acer rubrum / Acer saccharum Sap | Northern Bayberry Myrica pensylvanica Leaf | Northern Kiwi Actinidia agruta Fruit | Lovage Levisticum officinale Leaf |
