by Lis Friemoth
These landscaping plants are nice to look at, good
to eat
Incorporating edibles into the landscape conveys a sense
of caring about the food consumed by family, friends,
and neighbors. It provides the home with satisfying end
products. And it is much easier than you might think.
One of my favorite things to do is to weave those edibles
throughout the ornamentals. This can be as simple as
arugula or parsley planted as borders. Or it can be as
challenging as bananas. Have some fun — mix it up a bit.
Some of the plants listed below are perennially hardy
outdoors for the northern climes, but others are not.
Heed the warnings for those that need extra care if you
want to enjoy them for more than one season.
Actinidia kolomikta, Ken’s red (Kiwi) is very ornamental,
rapidly growing and cold-hardy in zones 4 to 9. Be sure
to check on zones, since some kiwi are less hardy than
others. One male plant to every four females is required
for adequate pollination and fruit production.
The leaves are quite pretty on their own, and if fruit
is not a priority, buy male plants. These prefer partial
shade (for best leaf color), and will grow in average
soils, as long as adequate moisture is available. Don’t
expect large fruits with these. They only get to be about
an inch long, but are very edible.
Asimina triloba (paw paw) is a delightful tree. If growing
for fruit, you will need at least two for pollination.
The long, rather weepy leaves on this tree make it an
interesting, yet unusual, choice for the landscape. On
and off, I hear of a quest for the remnants of a native
stand purportedly somewhere in southeastern Wisconsin.
Paw paws prefer full sun in deep, rich, moist soils that
run a bit more on the acidic side. The pretty, smallish,
maroon flowers are followed by fruits (about 4 inches
long) that are rather funny looking — kind of like a
short, squat banana. It’s hardy in zones 4/5 to 8.
Citrus reticulata (satsuma Mandarin) is a great citrus
for everyone in the north to try. Although not perennially
cold-hardy in the north, it will survive temperatures
of 26 F. This makes it an ideal container fruit for forgetful
gardeners like me, who may not remember to bring it indoors
before a cold snap.
The satsuma Mandarin is relatively evergreen, losing
only a few leaves over winter — generally in response
to changing light situations too quickly. They can be
long-lived but don’t grow much taller than 4 or 5 feet
in containers. Water very infrequently, only when dry
an inch or more deep, provide full sun — at least eight
hours per day — and be sure to use a citrus-fruit fertilizer.
These don’t need to be brought in the house, although
they make fantastic houseplants, but can be kept throughout
winter in a sunny, cool garage, or greenhouse location.
The fragrant, white flowers pop in April or May, followed
by the developing fruits that ripen around October. Expect
to love the fruit from this one. It’s very sweet, almost
seedless, and one of the easiest to peel. Outdoor-hardy
in zones 8b to 10.
Coffea arabica (coffee) is a small, shrubby, tropical
bush that will produce coffee beans in about four years
when happy. Although they can grow 10 feet or more when
unfettered in native tropical soils, coffee responds
well to pruning and can be kept to a manageable 4-foot
height, making it a lovely plant for larger containers.
The pretty, white flowers are worth growing for the
heady fragrance alone. But just think of how much fun
it will be to wait for the bright red berries to mature
so that you can harvest, roast and use your own coffee
beans. As a tropical plant (hardy in zones 9 and 10),
these do require some attendance to temperature and water
requirements.
Coffee grows optimally at about 68 F, with no tolerance
for frost and a great need for moisture. These are lovely
plants to grow, even if you never reach the point of
berry production.
Ficus carica (fig) can be grown in this area — to a
certain degree. Most will only do well for one year (cold-hardy
from zones 5 and up), but are worth the effort if you
like fresh figs. Doing a bit of homework will yield success
in finding some that may overwinter. Brown turkey is
one of those that, with heavy mulching, may provide years
of fruit production.
Figs require a full sun setting in soils that have decent
moisture levels and are well-drained. They can reach
10 to 15 feet high.
Mespilus germanica (medlar) is in the rose family, but
you’d never guess that by looking at it. Growing in well-drained
soils in full sun, this small tree reaches about 20 feet
tall developing a very nice, rounded canopy. It is self-fertile,
so try just one.
The rounded fruit is rather unusual in that it remains
very hard even after it matures late in the season. The
fruits can either be left on the tree to soften with
the frost or it can be picked hard and stored over winter
to soften more slowly.
The flavor requires some getting used to, but it is
not unpleasant. Hardy in zones 4 to 8.
Prunus tomentosa, white Nanking (cherry) is a lovely
shrub, cold-hardy in zones 3 to 7, that will reach to
about 8 feet if happy. Each branch is covered with a
showy display of white (with a hint of pink) flowers
very early in the spring. The white Nanking has deliciously
sweet, white cherries ready for picking in June. These
shrubs love full sun, can be planted in containers, function
beautifully as fruiting hedges or just make a pretty
addition to the landscape. Although relatively small,
the fruit is known more for sweetness than size.
Schisandra chinensis (magnolia vine) is a slow growing,
cold-hardy (zones 4 to 7) vine producing small, lightly
scented white to pink flowers, followed by small, delicious,
late-summer fruits. Well-drained, moist soils in sun
to light shade have been noted as optimal for growth.
It reaches about 10 feet tall, with bright, red berries.
As for that banana tree —why not give it a whirl. They
can be found easily; just look for super dwarf, which
is easier to move inside and back out.
Grow banana trees like any other tropical plant in the
north. Monitor it carefully when temperatures start to
dip.
They will fruit when provided with natural sunlight,
so be sure to move them outside for the summer months
— after the night temperatures get above 50 F.
Plan to provide additional potassium throughout the
summer, because banana trees rarely get enough in the
north for good fruit development.
— Lis Friemoth is a horticulture diagnostician. Contact her at (262) 745-2904, P.O. Box 58, Springfield, WI 53176, visit online at www.thegardenhoe.com or e-mail her at gardenhoe@tds.net. Listen to Liz from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. every third Saturday on WISN AM1130 radio. |
