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nafex - [NAFEX] Best edible plants in Zone 5 rain garden?

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  • From: Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>
  • To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Best edible plants in Zone 5 rain garden?
  • Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:27:28 -0500

A lady in Grand Rapids, Michigan has written to a permaculture list inquiring about edible plants suited for an area that is subject to flooding in, I gather, thunderstorms, torrential rains etc.

I've thought of suggesting nannyberry, Aronia (for juice), groundnut and spicebush (I've heard of a gourmet chef using the fruit in a kind of relish).

I wonder if pawpaw and just maybe northern pecan might suit. I gather that they are bottomland plants. Can they tolerate occasional short-term flooding when in active growth? Does anyone have any suggestive experience?

Other suggestions welcome.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

**********

Joan wrote:
Many residential and organizational property owners in our area are planting
rain gardens, mainly with native ornamental plants. Can anyone recommend
(native) edible perennials that would do well in a rain garden in Zone 5
(hardy to -20 F)? As I understand it, rain gardens sometimes hold water for
up to 48 hours in their deepest sections, so I'd also like to know whether
recommended edibles can take standing water for two days or whether they
should be planted more toward the rain garden edges.

Grand Rapids, MI USDA zone 5





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