Natives for the edible landscape: these fruit-bearing trees, shrubs, and vines make tasteful additions to the ornamental garden

摘要

More and more gardens are going native these days. Butterfly weeds are edging out delphiniums, summersweet (Clethra spp.) is hobnobbing with flowering dogwood, and sunflower is strutting about like a prima donna. Fruit plantings, though, seem stalled in the past, with most people still planting apples or peaches or pears--all non-native species that reflect the European heritage of the first colonists. Yet many native plants with edible fruit are also worth cultivating, even if they are less familiar. Many are relatively tolerant of pests and diseases, which is more than can be said for apples, peaches, and the like over most of North America. In addition to offering unusual and delectable flavors, some native fruits are also borne on handsome plants. There's no need to relegate them to an orchard or dedicated fruit planting; they are right at home mingling in the landscape with other ornamentals. For plantings near patios or children's play areas, pest resistance becomes doubly important becauseit means use of chemical pesticides can be reduced or eliminated.