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Writer's pictureKristi Duffy

Shrubs: Landscaping with Edible Plants




Shrubs are also an important component of landscape design. We rely on them to add color and greenery as well as to help define spaces or act as barriers. Bushes and shrubs can easily get lost in a landscape because our eyes are naturally drawn to the more colorful flowering perennial and annual plants, or captured by a lush green lawn (especially in the Central Valley mid summer), or be captivated by a lovely specimen of a tree. But if the shrubs and bushes were not there, you would quickly notice the space was not well defined. As important as they already are to a cohesive landscape, we can make them more beneficial for us by selecting shrubs that will produce us with food. Below are some great options to place in your yard instead of the traditional and overused landscaping shrubs like Indian hawthorn, pittosporum, and boxwood. These selections will not only add beauty but also produce delicious morsels. Some of these I also mentioned in the list of trees I posted earlier. They work excellently in both forms, the only difference is the pruning regime you will need to follow. 


Blueberry

Blueberries are a beautiful deciduous shrub. Cute little bell shaped flowers in spring and good fall color make this an attractive landscape plant. Monrovia and Sunset Western Gardens have excellent selections that are well suited for ornamental purposes. They can be used in pots, as a foundation shrub or in borders. Different varieties will get different sizes but generally expect around 3-5 feet in height and width. Make sure you keep the soil acidic for these guys or they will not be happy. Some hedging is ok but for best results in fruit production and general aesthetic do selective pruning. Plant blueberries instead of any similar sized landscape shrub in well draining soil and full to part sun. 



Rosemary

Evergreen shrub in a range of sizes with periodic blooms of beautiful blue flowers. There are varieties that stay low and can be used as a ground cover as well as varieties that are great for foundation plantings, borders, hedges; pretty much you name it and rosemary can do it. These guys thrive in the heat and prefer dryer sandy soil so they make a great option for that hot spot in every yard that never seems to get enough water. Once it has its root system well established they are very drought tolerant. Just make sure to amend the soil well and don’t stress the plant until it is well established. After that, trust me when I say nothing will kill it. Plant rosemary instead of shrubs like Indian hawthorn and euonymus.  


Dwarf citrus

Dwarf citrus trees make an excellent addition to any garden or landscape. They can be planted along fences, as a wind break, foundation plantings, used for privacy or just as a potted tree adding a unique dimension to your design. There are so many varieties to choose from and they all offer delicious fruit, beautiful fragrant flowers in spring and handsome shiny evergreen leaves throughout the year. The possibilities with dwarf citrus trees are endless.



Roses

Not many people plant roses with the thought of consuming them, but let me tell you, rose hips are high in vitamins, make a great tea and can be turned into jelly. Not all varieties produce good hips but if you want to plant them for this purpose Rosea rugosa is the variety you want to look for, or the California rose Rosea woodsii (best in mostly shaded areas). All rose petals can be consumed, but the more fragrant the rose, the more flavorful it will be. Petals make a more mild perfumey tea that is also delicious by itself or mixed with other herbs. You can also infuse the rose petals into things like sugar and vinegar to create more interesting and flavorful dishes. As with all plants you consume, be careful what they may have sprayed on them before indulging. 


Bay laurel

Bay laurel was also mentioned in my post about trees in your edible landscape. In addition to being a great selection for a small tree, they are well suited to being used as a privacy hedge, foundation planting or in patio pots. Laurels are slow growing which means they require very little maintenance and there are also dwarf varieties available that can fit in nicely to smaller spaces or pots. Laurels can be hedged and drop very little in the way of leaf litter. If you select a male variety it will be fruitless and reduce litter to almost nothing. These plants are so versatile and low maintenance it is not hard to see why they are one of my favorites. To add to that they are incredibly durable. Once they are established they are drought resistant and very heat tolerant. Laurels are also incredibly beautiful with the deep green, evergreen fragrant foliage. Plant these instead of privet, cherry laurel, podocarpus, or Photinia 



Lavender

Lavender offers so much that it can often seem overused in landscapes, but it is still a great option for many yards. Lavender is evergreen and offers a long bloom season. There are many varieties ranging in sizes from 18 inches all the way up to 4 foot shrubs. There are selections with silvery foliage and some that are variegated yellow and green, and of course the usual dusty green. A few types even veer away from the traditional purple flowers and have pink or white blooms. The uses of lavender are very extensive too. It is great in herb blends, tea, baked goods and sweets, cutting for bouquets and so much more. Regardless if you are using lavender as an edible plant or not it offers a lot of color and versatility to the landscape.


Pineapple guava

These plants are incredibly beautiful to have in the landscape as a large shrub or even as a small specimen tree. The look of their foliage is similar in style to olive with silvery undersides of the leaves. They bloom in spring with deliciously sweet pinkish white flowers and bear fruit in the fall. Evergreen and quick growing pineapple guava is a great option for screening and privacy. They do fruit prolifically so keep that in mind when considering to plant this species. They don’t stain to my knowledge but the dropped fruit could become a nuisance depending on the location. 


When looking to plant edible shrubs in your landscape, remember that their care will be different than traditional ornamental shrubs. You will want to take more care with pruning and avoid hedging into tight mounds as this will reduce many of the benefits of planting a food producing plant. They will take more time and attention than their ornamental counterparts but they can be so rewarding if you care for them properly. If you have any questions head over to my contact page and send me a message, I’d love to help. 


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