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Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial flowering plant of the pea family that has been cultivated as fodder since Roman times, and has a ton of benefits for farmers, homesteaders and permaculture designers…
The Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia) is a shrub native to North America that contains edible fruits resembling blueberries…
The Persian walnut (Juglans regia) is a deciduous tree widely cultivated across Europe, but originally found in the mountain region of Central Asia…
The Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa) is a decidious and hardy shrub that produce an abundance of small, juicy cherries. It belongs to the Rosaceae family, which includes all cherries, plums, peaches, etc…
The hardy yam (Dioscorea batatas / Dioscorea polystachya), also called Chinese yam or cinnamon vine, is a perennial root crop that can weight several kilograms and is superior to potatoes in many ways…
Perennial kale (Brassica oleracea ramosa) is a low-maintenance perennial vegetable that is tough, productive and good to eat…
Good King Henry (Chenopodium bonus-henricus), also called Poor-man’s Asparagus, is most easily described as a perennial spinach. It has been grown as a vegetable in cottage gardens for hundreds of years, although today it’s…
The Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa), also called Japanese Dogwood or Chinese Dogwood, s a deciduous tree growing up to 10 metres tall and 6 metres wide. It’s a much appreciated ornamental tree that gets heavily laden with delicious late summer fruits…
The American groundnut (Apios Americana), or hopniss, is a climbing perennial plant from the woodland edges of North America. It’s related to the peanut and produces new shoots each year from numerous underground tubers, these new shoots twining around any supports they can find…
“The carob, the food of the Prodigal Son, of Mediterranean people, of the Mediterranean farm animals, and of the calves and dogs of America, also fed the cavalry of Wellington in his Peninsular campaign and that of Allenby in Palestine during the World War…
The Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) is a small tree growing to 6m (20 ft) high, bearing large bunches of edible flowers (raw/in drinks) and black fruits (raw or cooked)…
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) is a perennial herb that is used as a fertilizer and as an herbal medicine. The most commonly used species is Russian comfrey (Symphytum × uplandicum), which is a cross or hybrid of Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and Rough Comfrey (Symphytum asperum)…
