Edible Landscaping – Plant Recommendations
USDA Hardiness Zones 9 through 10
Choose from among the following plants for edible landscapes if you live in an area with mild winters, and no severe frost. The varieties here are particularly well-suited to the arid Southwest. For recommendations for more humid areas, see my section on USDA Hardiness zones 10 and 11, which are more tropical in nature.
Annual Vegetables and Edible Flowers –
cool season/ can withstand light frosts – all greens: rainbow chard, mustards; cabbages, lettuce, kales etc.; flower bud vegetables: broccoli and cauliflower; root vegetables: carrots, beets, radishes, etc; plus peas, nasturtiums, calendulas, pansies, and winter wheat.
Warm season/ no frost tolerance – beans, cucumbers, eggplants, melons, peanuts, peppers, sweet potatoes, squash, slicing and cherry tomatoes.
Perennials
Herbaceous perennials – artichokes, asparagus, cardoon, prickly pear cactus, garden strawberries.
Woody trees, shrubs and vines – almonds, low-chill apples, apricots, bamboo, blueberries, blackberries, sweet cherries, chestnut, most citrus, figs, grapes, Japanese persimmons, Japanese plums, kiwis, loquat, low-chill pears, olive, pecan, plums, peaches and nectarines, pineapple guava, pomegranates, raspberries, tea, walnuts.
Herbs
Cool season annuals/ can withstand light frosts – cilantro, parsley
Warm season/no frost tolerance – basils, anise hyssop
Perennials – chives, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, sorrel, and French and lemon thyme.
Particularly good seed and plant sources for Zones9-10
Bay Laurel
2500 El Camino Real
Atascadero, CA 93422
www.baylaurelnursery.com
Fruit trees for the Southwest and California
Cross Country Nurseries
199 Kingwood-Locktown Road
Rosemont, NJ 08556-0170
www.chileplants.com
Great selection of chile and sweet pepper, eggplant, and tomato plants in spring
Edible Landscaping Nursery
361 Spirit Ridge Lane
Afton, VA 22920
Carries many fruit trees, berries, and vines
Nichols Garden Nursery
1190 North Pacific Highway NE
Albany, OR 97321-4580
Vegetables and herbs; carries a wide selection of herb plants
One Green World
28696 S Cramer Road
Molalla, OR 97038
Unusual fruits, berries, nuts – some from Eastern Europe and Russia
Raintree Nursery
391 Butts Road
Morton, WA 98356
Fruits, nuts, berries, unusual edibles
Renee’s Garden Seeds
6116 Highway 9
Felton, CA 95018
www.reneesgarden.com
Flower, herb, vegetable seeds; on line and in retail stores; information packed website
Trees of Antiquity
20 Wellsona Road
Paso Robles, CA 93446
www.treesofantiquity.com
Heirloom fruits, berries
by Rosalind Creasy
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