Permaculture with native plants - Ask Extension
Can you suggest a resource that will help me build an edible permaculture garden with plants that are native to Maryland, or at least non-invasive in ...
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Permaculture with native plants #624793
Asked April 17, 2020, 8:43 AM EDT
Can you suggest a resource that will help me build an edible permaculture garden with plants that are native to Maryland, or at least non-invasive in our region? For the past year I have been reading resources on permaculture, but they are mostly written by folks in the Pacific Northwest, or folks who seem willing to introduce plants into the garden that have the potential to escape and cause problems elsewhere (e.g. comfrey or goumi). It would be great if there was a list to help me find native substitutes for the plants that these permaculture/polyculture experts recommend. I don't know where to find guidance about building native plant guilds and communities in Maryland that will support edibles.
Prince George's County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi-
Native persimmon, paw paw, chokeberry and serviceberry are some native trees that produce edible fruit. Elderberry, blueberry, blackberry, and black raspberry plantsavailable for sale are, in part at least, native to the mid-Atlantic.
If you search "permaculture in Maryland" you will find a number of resources and opportunities for learning:
https://www.forested.us/permaculture-design-course
https://www.ecologiadesign.com/
This is a useful book we recently learned about on community food forests:
https://frec.vt.edu/people/munsell/book.htmlnative%20plant%20guild.html
Please view our native plants page for selecting and using native plants:
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/native-plants
An excellent guide to native plants for conservation landscaping in MD:
https://www.fws.gov/Chesapeakebay/pdf/NativePlantsforWildlifeHabitatandConservationLandscaping.pdf
Jon
Native persimmon, paw paw, chokeberry and serviceberry are some native trees that produce edible fruit. Elderberry, blueberry, blackberry, and black raspberry plantsavailable for sale are, in part at least, native to the mid-Atlantic.
If you search "permaculture in Maryland" you will find a number of resources and opportunities for learning:
https://www.forested.us/permaculture-design-course
https://www.ecologiadesign.com/
This is a useful book we recently learned about on community food forests:
https://frec.vt.edu/people/munsell/book.htmlnative%20plant%20guild.html
Please view our native plants page for selecting and using native plants:
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/native-plants
An excellent guide to native plants for conservation landscaping in MD:
https://www.fws.gov/Chesapeakebay/pdf/NativePlantsforWildlifeHabitatandConservationLandscaping.pdf
Jon
