Forest garden ideas

Created by: papaver on 2023-06-17 • List type: user • Visibility: Public

Plants for a forest garden for a zone 9a/Cfb (temperature ocean climate) space in France. Things I’ve seen, some natives, and some perhaps crazy ideas that might just be worth trying.

Plant Type Edible parts Family Height Layer Life cycle USDA Hardiness zone Note
Almond
Species
Seed Rosaceae 6.0 Trees Perennial 5-8
Alpine Strawberry
Species
Fruit, Leaves Rosaceae 3-15 cm Ground cover Perennial 4-8
Ameixa Do Peru
Species
Malpighiaceae
Apple
Species
Fruit Rosaceae 10.0 Trees Perennial 3-8
Apricot
Species
Fruit, Seed Rosaceae 9.0 Trees Perennial 4-8
Barberry
Species
Fruit, Leaves Berberidaceae 3.0 Shrubs Perennial 3-7
Bay tree
Species
Lauraceae 12.0 Trees Perennial 8-10
Bilberry
Species
Fruit, Leaves Ericaceae 0.2 Shrubs Perennial 3-7
Black elderberry
Species
Flowers, Fruit Caprifoliaceae 6 Understory Perennial 5-7
Black mulberry
Species
Fruit Moraceae 10.0 Trees Perennial 5-9
Chamomile
Species
Asteraceae or Compositae 0.5 Herbs Annual 5-9
Cherimoya
Species
Fruit Annonaceae 9.0 Trees 8-12
Chinese Quince
Species
Fruit Rosaceae 3.0 Shrubs 4-8
Chives
Species
Bulb, Flowers, Leaves, Root Alliaceae 0.3 Herbs Perennial 3-12
Chop-Suey Greens
Species
Flowers, Leaves Asteraceae or compositae 1.2 Annual
Comfrey
Species
Leaves Boraginaceae 1.2 Herbs Perennial 3-9
Common Grape Vine
Species
Flowers, Fruit, Leaves, Seed Vitaceae 15-32m Vines Perennial 6-10
Common Hazelnut
Species
Seed Betulaceae 6.0 Trees Perennial 4-8
Corsican Mint
Species
Leaves Lamiaceae or labiatae 0.1 Perennial 5-9
Cucamelon
Species
Cucurbitaceae Vines Annual
Cucumber
Species
Fruit, Leaves Cucurbitaceae 2 Vines Annual 9-11
Earthnut Pea
Species
Root Fabaceae or leguminosae 1.2 Perennial 5-9
Elm-Leaved Sumach
Species
Fruit Anacardiaceae 3.0 Shrubs 8-11
English walnut
Species
Sap, Seed Juglandaceae 20.0 Tall trees Perennial 5-9
Fennel
Species
Leaves, Root, Seed, Stem Apiaceae or umbelliferae 1.5 Herbs Perennial 4-9
Fig
Species
Fruit, Sap Moraceae 6.0 Trees Perennial 6-12
Giant Bamboo
Species
Shoots, Stem Poaceae 15.0 Trees 10-12
Goldenberry
Species
Fruit Solanaceae 1.2 Perennial 6-12
Goumi
Species
Fruit, Seed Elaeagnaceae 3.0 Trees Perennial 5-9
Hardy kiwi
Species
Fruit, Sap Actinidiaceae 15.0 Vines Perennial 4-9
Hardy kiwi
Species
Fruit, Sap Actinidiaceae 15.0 Vines Perennial 4-9
Haskap
Species
Fruit Caprifoliaceae 2.0 Shrubs Perennial 3-9
Hawthorn
Species
Flowers, Fruit, Leaves Rosaceae 6.0 Shrubs 4-8
Honeysuckle
Species
Nectar Caprifoliaceae 4.5 Vines 4-8
Hosta sieboldiana
Species
Leaves, Stem Funkiaceae 1.0 Perennial 4-8
Japanese Banana
Species
Nectar Musaceae 3.0 Perennial 7-10
Japanese raisin tree
Species
Fruit Rhamnaceae 10.0 Trees Perennial 5-9
Jasmin
Species
Flowers Oleaceae 2.5 Vines 10-12
Jerusalem Pea
Species
Seed, Seedpod Fabaceae or leguminosae 0.5 Annual 10-12
Juniper
Species
Fruit, Leaves, Seed Cupressaceae 9.0 Shrubs 4-10
Kale
Species
Leaves Brassicaceae, Cruciferae 0.9 Herbs Biennial, Perennial 5-10
Kiwi
Species
Fruit, Leaves Actinidiaceae 7.5 Vines 6-9
Lavender
Species
Flowers Lamiaceae or labiatae 1.2 Shrubs Perennial 5-8
Lettuce
Species
Leaves, Seed Asteraceae or compositae 0.9 Herbs Annual, Biennial 5-9
Loofah
Species
Flowers, Fruit, Leaves, Seed, Shoots Cucurbitaceae 15.0 Vines Annual 10-12
Loquat
Species
Fruit, Seed Rosaceae 9.0 Trees 8-11
Louisiana Canna
Species
Fruit, Root Cannaceae 1.5 Perennial 9-11
Lychee
Species
Fruit Sapindaceae 12.0 Trees 10-12
Madake
Species
Stem Poaceae or gramineae 8.0 Trees 6-9
Mango
Species
Anacardiaceae 25.0 Tall trees 10-12
Melon
Species
Fruit, Seed Cucurbitaceae 1.5 Herbs Annual 9-11
Miner's Lettuce
Species
Flowers, Leaves, Root Portulacaceae 0.2 Annual
Olive
Species
Fruit, Leaves Oleaceae 10.0 Trees Perennial 8-10
Passion fruit
Species
Fruit Passifloraceae 9.0 Vines Perennial 9-12
Peach
Species
Flowers, Fruit, Seed Rosaceae 6 Trees Perennial 5-9
Pear
Species
Fruit Rosaceae 5.0 Trees 4-8
Persimmon
Species
Fruit Ebenaceae 12.0 Trees Perennial 7-10
Phyllostachys nuda
Species
Stem Poaceae or gramineae 5.0 Trees 7-10
Pomegranate
Species
Fruit, Leaves, Seed Punicaceae 5.0 Trees 8-12
Quince
Species
Flowers, Fruit Rosaceae 7.5 Trees 5-9
Ramanas Rose
Species
Flowers, Fruit, Seed, Stem Rosaceae 2.0 Shrubs 3-9
Red raspberry
Species
Fruit, Root, Stem Rosaceae 2.0 Shrubs Perennial 3-8
Reddish bamboo
Species
Stem Poaceae or gramineae 8.0 Trees 7-10
Rocket
Species
Flowers, Leaves Brassicaceae or Cruciferae 0.6 Annual 6-9
Rosemary
Species
Leaves Lamiaceae or labiatae 1.5 Herbs Perennial 6-11
Runner Bean
Species
Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seed, Seedpod Fabaceae or leguminosae 3.0 Annual, Perennial 1-12
Sage
Species
Flowers, Leaves Lamiaceae or Labiatae 0.6 Herbs Annual, Perennial 3-11
Siberian pea shrub
Species
Seed, Seedpod Fabaceae or leguminosae 6.0 Shrubs Perennial 2-7
Sloe
Species
Flowers, Fruit, Seed Rosaceae 3.0 Trees Perennial 4-8
Snowy Mespilus
Species
Fruit Rosaceae 5.0 Shrubs 5-7
Stone pine
Species
Seed Pinaceae 10.0 Tall trees Perennial 7-11
Strawberry tree
Species
Fruit Ericaceae 9.0 Trees Perennial 7-11
Sweet Woodruff
Species
Flowers, Leaves Rubiaceae 0.2 Perennial 5-9
Sweet chestnut
Species
Seed Fagaceae 30.0 Tall trees Perennial 5-7
Sweet potato
Species
Leaves, Root Convolvulaceae 3.0 Vines Perennial 10-12
Sweetshoot Bamboo
Species
Stem Poaceae or gramineae 7.0 Trees 7-10
Szechuan Pepper
Species
Rutaceae 4.0 Shrubs 5-8
Tea Plant
Species
Leaves Theaceae 4.0 Shrubs 7-9
Thyme
Species
Flowers, Leaves Lamiaceae or Labiatae 0.1-0.3m Herbs Perennial 5-11
Tomatillo
Species
Fruit Solanaceae 1.2 Annual 7-10
Tree Spinach
Species
Leaves, Shoots Euphorbiaceae 5.0 Shrubs 9-11
Uñi
Species
Fruit, Leaves, Seed Myrtaceae 2.0 Shrubs 7-11
Vervain
Species
Flowers, Leaves Verbenaceae 0.6 Perennial 4-8
Vetiver
Species
Root Poaceae 1.8 Perennial 7-11
White Clover
Species
Flowers, Leaves, Root Fabaceae or leguminosae 0.1 Perennial 4-8
Wild Thyme
Species
Leaves Lamiaceae or labiatae 0.1 Shrubs 5-9
Wu Wei Zi
Species
Fruit, Leaves Schisandraceae 9.0 Vines 4-8