10 Beautiful Under-Used Edible Trees and Shrubs to Transform Yards into a Raw Food Paradise
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/edible-landscape.jpg
As the movement toward local, sustainable food expands across the nation and around the world, more people are recognizing that our own yards offer plenty of opportunity for growing our own. Edible landscaping is the perfect complement to a vegetable garden.
Edible landscaping simply means planting things around the home that provide both food and ornamental value, and can even function as windbreaks or shade. Popular fruit trees like citrus and figs and peaches are all the rage, but there are several lesser-known trees and shrubs that provide fruit and blend well in the landscape.
Here are 10 fruiting trees and shrubs that should be used more in edible landscape designs. Many of them are tougher than the popular fruit trees like peaches and do not require as much maintenance.
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana). Zones 4 to 9. More common in the South, this attractive tree can grow to 30 ft. tall. They need full sun and well-drained soil. Cultivars like ‘Fuyu’ bear excellent-tasting fruit. Persimmons have beautiful bark and good fall color.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/persimmon.jpg
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba). Zones 5 to 8. This native tree was an important food source for Native Americans, giving it the nickname “Indian Banana.” This is a very attractive tree that lends a tropical appearance with its large leaves. Small maroon flowers give way to yellowish elongated fruits 4-6 inches long. Two genetically distinct trees are needed for successful pollination.
Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana). Zones 8 to 10. A large shrub or small tree with beautiful flowers and green, egg-shaped, tropical-tasting fruits that fall to the ground when ripe. The flower petals are edible too, with a sweet, fruity taste. Like the pawpaw, they produce more fruit when two genetically distinct trees are planted in close proximity.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/pineapple-guava.jpg
Mulberry (Morus spp.). Zones 5 to 8. Once known as “King of the Tree Crops,” this is another attractive tree for full sun, although they can handle part shade. They are best situated away from patios and decks as the fruit drop can be messy. Cover the ground with a canvas and shake the tree to get the flavorful little fruits that make excellent jelly, wine and desserts.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Mulberry-fruits.jpg
Fruiting quince (Cydonia oblonga). Zones 5 to 9. A small, irregularly shaped tree to about 15 ft. tall that can take an interesting gnarled form with age. Attractive spring flowering adds to the appeal. Quince fruits are fragrant and more commonly used to make jelly.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fruiting-quince-1.jpg
Gooseberries and currants (Ribes spp.). Hardy to zone 3. Several different forms and varieties are sold in nurseries, with red currants and American gooseberries being the most common. These plants prefer partial shade and cool, moist growing conditions with good air circulation. They require more maintenance than other fruiting plants, but their fruits are delicious for pies and jellies.
Juneberry (Amalanchier spp.). Zones 3 to 9. A very attractive small tree to 25 ft. covered in white flowers in spring, with fine-textured leaves that turn red in fall. The small purplish-black ripe fruits are eaten fresh, dried, or used in pies and preserves. Grow juneberries in rich, well-drained acidic soil in full sun, although partial shade is recommended for southern regions.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Amelanchier_asiatica5.jpg
Hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia aruguta). Hardy to zone 4. This is a vining plant with grape-size fruits that have an excellent fresh taste similar to standard kiwis but easier to eat. It is an attractive, vigorous perennial vine, so some kind of trellis or support will be needed. However, make sure to prune properly and keep it in bounds, as it has been known to smother surrounding trees and shrubs.
Highbush cranberry (Viburnum opulus var. Americana). Zones 2 to 7. A shrub growing to 15 ft. tall with a formal, rounded shape that is well-suited for privacy screens. Flowers and fruits are showy. The small red fruits remain on the plants for a long time and brighten the winter landscape, although they are best harvested earlier for good taste.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Viburnum_opulus_C.jpg
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). Zones 5 to 8. This is a small, upright trees to 15 ft. tall with attractive bark, flowers, and fall color. Although full sun is preferred, they do quite well in partial shade underneath larger trees. The fruits ripen to a dark maroon and are excellent for jellies, tarts, and sweetmeats.
As the movement toward local, sustainable food expands across the nation and around the world, more people are recognizing that our own yards offer plenty of opportunity for growing our own. Edible landscaping is the perfect complement to a vegetable garden.
Edible landscaping simply means planting things around the home that provide both food and ornamental value, and can even function as windbreaks or shade. Popular fruit trees like citrus and figs and peaches are all the rage, but there are several lesser-known trees and shrubs that provide fruit and blend well in the landscape.
Here are 10 fruiting trees and shrubs that should be used more in edible landscape designs. Many of them are tougher than the popular fruit trees like peaches and do not require as much maintenance.
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana). Zones 4 to 9. More common in the South, this attractive tree can grow to 30 ft. tall. They need full sun and well-drained soil. Cultivars like ‘Fuyu’ bear excellent-tasting fruit. Persimmons have beautiful bark and good fall color.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/persimmon.jpg
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba). Zones 5 to 8. This native tree was an important food source for Native Americans, giving it the nickname “Indian Banana.” This is a very attractive tree that lends a tropical appearance with its large leaves. Small maroon flowers give way to yellowish elongated fruits 4-6 inches long. Two genetically distinct trees are needed for successful pollination.
Pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana). Zones 8 to 10. A large shrub or small tree with beautiful flowers and green, egg-shaped, tropical-tasting fruits that fall to the ground when ripe. The flower petals are edible too, with a sweet, fruity taste. Like the pawpaw, they produce more fruit when two genetically distinct trees are planted in close proximity.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/pineapple-guava.jpg
Mulberry (Morus spp.). Zones 5 to 8. Once known as “King of the Tree Crops,” this is another attractive tree for full sun, although they can handle part shade. They are best situated away from patios and decks as the fruit drop can be messy. Cover the ground with a canvas and shake the tree to get the flavorful little fruits that make excellent jelly, wine and desserts.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Mulberry-fruits.jpg
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/fruiting-quince-1.jpg
Gooseberries and currants (Ribes spp.). Hardy to zone 3. Several different forms and varieties are sold in nurseries, with red currants and American gooseberries being the most common. These plants prefer partial shade and cool, moist growing conditions with good air circulation. They require more maintenance than other fruiting plants, but their fruits are delicious for pies and jellies.
Juneberry (Amalanchier spp.). Zones 3 to 9. A very attractive small tree to 25 ft. covered in white flowers in spring, with fine-textured leaves that turn red in fall. The small purplish-black ripe fruits are eaten fresh, dried, or used in pies and preserves. Grow juneberries in rich, well-drained acidic soil in full sun, although partial shade is recommended for southern regions.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Amelanchier_asiatica5.jpg
Hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia aruguta). Hardy to zone 4. This is a vining plant with grape-size fruits that have an excellent fresh taste similar to standard kiwis but easier to eat. It is an attractive, vigorous perennial vine, so some kind of trellis or support will be needed. However, make sure to prune properly and keep it in bounds, as it has been known to smother surrounding trees and shrubs.
Highbush cranberry (Viburnum opulus var. Americana). Zones 2 to 7. A shrub growing to 15 ft. tall with a formal, rounded shape that is well-suited for privacy screens. Flowers and fruits are showy. The small red fruits remain on the plants for a long time and brighten the winter landscape, although they are best harvested earlier for good taste.
image: http://tftppull.freethoughtllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Viburnum_opulus_C.jpg
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). Zones 5 to 8. This is a small, upright trees to 15 ft. tall with attractive bark, flowers, and fall color. Although full sun is preferred, they do quite well in partial shade underneath larger trees. The fruits ripen to a dark maroon and are excellent for jellies, tarts, and sweetmeats.
Not only are the dealing with lead in the water but this also
State of Emergency Declared As Legionnaires’ Disease Spikes in Flint Michigan
By Brandon Turbeville
As if Flint, Michigan needed more problems other than an economic depression which has left the city a virtual wasteland, Flint is now the scene of a massive poisoned water scandal that has seen lead flooding the city’s drinking water supplies. Now, on top of the water emergency, a sharp increase in Legionnaires’ disease is hitting the community.
State officials were forced to admit at a press conference on Wednesday that there was indeed an uptick in the cases of Legionnaires’ disease and that they have “yet to determine the cause of the disease.” Chief medical executive of the Michigan department of health and human services said that a more thorough analysis was in the works. Officials gave no new advice to Flint residents regarding their water usage in relation to the Legionnaires’ uptick. RT reports that “between June 2014 and November 2015, there were 87 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in Flint, with 10 ending in death, according to Wells. The fatality rate for the disease ranges from 5-30% depending on access to antibiotics and other factors, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.”
As Kahlil AlHajal writes for MLive.com:
From June 2014 to March 2015, 45 cases of Legionella bacteria were confirmed in Genesee County, according to the state Health and Human Services Department Director Nick Lyon.Seven of those cases were fatal.From May 2015 to November 2015, 42 cases were confirmed in Genesee county.
The lead poisoning of Flint’s water began in April 2014 when the city’s drinking water was switched from Lake Huron to the Flint River. The water from Flint River was sent to a city water treatment plant but the facility neglected to check the water’s salt levels which would eventually cause the lead pipes to corrode. This led to the high presence of the toxic substance in the city’s drinking water.Three of those were fatal.Chief Medical Executive for the Health and Human Services Department Eden Wells said “87 cases is a lot. That tells us that there is a source there that needs to be investigated.”
It is noteworthy that the change of water sources was noticed by Flint residents immediately. Yet while they complained of bad smells and bad tastes after the water sources changed it was not until October 2015 that the Department of Environmental Quality admitted that it was responsible for the lead poisoning because it did not add the necessary chemicals that would have combated the corrosion of the pipes.
Flint’s water source was switched back to Lake Huron in October. Unfortunately, the water is still poisoned.
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder declared a State of Emergency in early January and activated the Michigan Army National Guard to work with the Michigan State Police and other officials on Tuesday. Emergency personnel will be dispensing bottled water, filters and test kits door-to-door. Parents of children six years or younger are being encouraged to go to the hospital to have their blood tested for lead exposure.
This article (State of Emergency Declared As Legionnaires’ Disease Spikes in Flint Michigan) can be republished under this share-alike Creative Commons license with attribution to Brandon Turbeville, the article link and Natural Blaze.com.
Brandon Turbeville – article archive here – is an author out of Florence, South Carolina. He is the author of six books, Codex Alimentarius — The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1and volume 2, The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria, and The Difference it Makes: 36 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should Never Be President
Prices are accurate as of January 20, 2016 9:29 am
http://www.naturalblaze.com/2016/01/state-of-emergency-declared-as-legionnaires-disease-spikes-in-flint-michigan.html
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