Native Food Forest (11 plants)

Host plant to butterflies and moths like the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly and the Pawpaw Sphinx moth

• 2 - 1 gallon pots

• Full to part sun (full sun will produce greater harvest)

• Moist, well drained soil (needs regular watering the first year of planting and during dry spells)

• Height: 15’-25’

• Width: 15’-25’

• Plants can take 4-8 years to produce fruit after planting

• Mature plants produce 10-20 pounds of fruit per year

• Harvest time August/September

Host plant to butterflies and moths like the Silver Spotted Skipper and the Northern Cloudy Wing Butterfly

• 1 - 2.5" pot

• Full to part sun (full sun will produce greater harvest)

• Moist to wet well draining soil (water frequently in dry spells)

• Height: 5’-18’

• Hardy perennial vine, best grown on a trellis or fence

• Tubers and seeds are nutrient dense (3x’s the protein of a potato)

• Tubers and seeds must be cooked before eaten

• Plants can take 2-3 years to produce tubers after planting

• Mature plants produce 1-5 pounds of tubers per year

• Harvest any time the ground is not frozen, however, harvest after the 1st frost or early spring (during dormancy) for better tasting tubers

Host plant to butterflies and moths like the Promethea Silkmoth, Isabella Tiger moths (woolybear), and Brown Scoopwing moth.

• 2 - 1 gallon pots

• Full to part sun (full sun will produce greater harvest)

• Moist, well drained soil (needs regular watering the first year of planting)

• Height: 15’-18’

• Width: 8’-10’

• Plants can take up to 4 years to produce fruit after planting

• Mature plants produce “gallons” of fruit per year (I was unable to find definitive information on fruit production)

• Harvest the blue/black berries in October/November

Host plant to butterflies and moths like the Red Spotted Purple, Brown Elfin, Henry’s Elfin, Pink-Edged Sulphur butterflies, and the Huckleberry Sphinx moth

• 1 - 1 gallon pot

• Full to part sun (full sun will produce greater harvest)

• Sandy, rocky or gravel well drained soil (needs regular watering the first year of planting or during dry spells)

• Prefers acidic soil (pH of 4.5-5.5)

• Height: 1’-2’

• Width: 1’-2’

• Plants can take 2-3 years to produce fruit after planting, and reach maturity at about 5-6 years

• Mature plants produce .5-1.5 pounds of fruit per year 

• Prune extensively every other year in late fall/winter to encourage new growth and fruit production 

• Harvest late July - late September

Host plant to butterflies and moths like the Brown Elfin, Henry’s Elfin butterflies, the Huckleberry Sphinx moth, and Wavy-lined Emerald moth

• 1 - 1 gallon pot

• Full to part sun (full sun will produce greater harvest)

• Average-dry, sandy, rocky or gravel well drained soil (needs regular watering the first year of planting or during dry spells)

• Prefers acidic soil (pH of 4.5-6.5)

• Height: 1’-3’

• Width: 1’-3’

• Plants can take 3-5 years to produce fruit after planting

• Mature plants produce 1-4 pounds of fruit per year

• Harvest in July-September

• Prune old canes in winter to encourage new growth and better fruit production

Host plant to butterflies and moths like Yellow-banded Sphinx moth and the Green Arches moth

• 1 - 1 gallon pot

• Prefers partial shade but can tolerate sunnier conditions if well watered  

• Prefers moist, rich soils, but tolerates dry, sandy, rocky or gravel (needs regular watering the first year of planting or during dry spells)

• Height: 4’-8’

• Width: thicket forming

• Flowers/fruit appear on 2nd year canes

• Mature plants produce 1-2 pints of fruit per year

• Harvest in July-August

• Remove canes that have already produced fruit in the summer to encourage new growth; thin in late winter to remove damaged canes.

• Thimbleberry does not have thorns or prickles

Host plant to butterflies and moths like the Cecropia moth (North America's largest moth!), Polyphemus moth, Imperial moth, White-lined sphinx, and Spring Azure butterfly

• 1 - 1 gallon pot

• Full sun for maximum fruit production, light shade tolerated

• Average soil and moisture can tolerate wetter soils

• Height: 6’-9’

• Width: 7’-10’

• Summer blooming

• Harvest August-September

• Can reach maturity within 3 years

• Mature plants can produce 12-15 pounds of fruit per year

• Flowers are edible. Berries must be cooked before eating to avoid an upset stomach. All other plant parts should be avoided.