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["Brungardt, Sam (MPCA)" <Sam.Brungardt@state.mn.us>]

It seems that most of the Vaccinium species will tolerate some flooding, particularly American cranberry and lingonberry, as will American elderberry (S. canadensis), American highbush cranberry (V. trilobum), American black currant, chokecherry (P. virginiana), and possibly Saskatoon serviceberry (A. alnifolia).  Red mulberry (M. rubra) may be another flood-tolerant species.  Many dogwoods are flood tolerant, but I don’t know about Cornus mas.  Also, it seems as though I’ve read where mayhaws were tolerant of seasonal flooding.

 – Sam Brungardt, St. Paul, Minn.

 

From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Mathew Waehner
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 10:47 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Best edible plants in Zone 5 rain garden?

 

Groundnut (apois americana) is a fast growing vine that lives in bottomlands.  It produces starchy tubers, edible seeds, and fixes nitrogen.  It has pretty flowers, but might get a bit too large for a home rain garden.  It climbs other trees.

 

Arrowroot (wapato) was a native american staple food that could grow well in the bottom part of a rain garden.  Although we sometimes think if it as an aquatic plant, it grows well in soil that in only periodically flooded.  It might need supplemental water during a drought.

I'm not in a climate where I can grow cranberries, but I think they would thrive in zone 5.  They are similar to blueberries, except that they tolerate being completely underwater for a few days at a time. 

 

Mulberries love to grow on steep creek banks, with their trunk sticking out horizontally just above the normal high water line.  They grow incredibly fast and produce lots of fruit.  They are unpopular in residential landscapes because they lead to purple bird poo on everyone's car.  I like planing mulberries, because I feel that in an indirect way I'm pooping on all those cars. 

 

 

 

 

On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 11:19 AM, Matt Demmon <mdemmon@gmail.com> wrote:

Elderberry. American black currant (not a heavy producer). Hazelnut
will do just fine, the native species is often growing in certain
wetlands or right at the edge of rivers.

I would think pawpaw would be just fine with flooding. I've actually
seen them growing in the floodplain at Aman park near Grand Rapids, in
the understory of sycamore and silver maple.

Most rain gardens, especially once the plant roots go down and aerate
the soil during the first year, do not hold water for long. Only if
the soil is very heavy clay or the water table is already high would
they hold water for that long. Young plants are most susceptible to
flooding death.

On 2/16/10, Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org> wrote:
> 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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--
-matt demmon

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