Trees play a pivotal role in our landscapes. They provide shade, structure to the landscape design, and offer seasonal interest. Trees can be used effectively for screening and privacy, as a focal point, and bring together the landscape. Why not add to all these benefits by planting trees that can provide you with food? There are many options that can provide all of these benefits to your landscapes if properly chosen and placed.
Tree selection and placement is one of the most important factors that contribute to the long term health and personal enjoyment of the tree. A good species of tree wrongly placed can turn into a headache. When considering what tree to plant in your yard, whether or not it produces food, carefully evaluate the tree for its requirements.
As with any plant that produces consumable parts whether that be in the form of fruit, leaves, or roots make sure you are careful what you apply to the plant and the surrounding area regarding fertilizer and pesticides. Remember that for trees, the root system expands farther than just beneath the crown of the tree. This means they can absorb components from the soil that are not necessarily applied directly to the tree and it’s immediate surroundings.
I posted an introduction blog to planting your landscape with food producing plants. I highly recommend you read it if you haven’t before to get a sense of what to keep in mind when putting productive plants in your yard. They will be more work than a traditional landscape tree so be aware of what landscaping with edible plants can entail.
Walnut
Walnut trees are good for a large deciduous shade tree, and I do mean large, we are talking 50ft here. They have a moderate growth rate, and you can harvest nuts in the fall as they drop to the ground (be wary of your lawn mower if you’ve planted the tree in or near a lawn). They can take up to 10 years before producing a harvest so be patient with them. This also depends on how old the tree you purchased is. If you purchase a 5 year old tree you will obviously have a shorter wait time until you are able to harvest nuts. This is the only nut tree that I list for a few different reasons. For one the nuts they produce are large enough to be easily raked up with a leaf rake to make clean up simple which is important for yard maintenance. The last thing you want to be doing is scavenging among leaves and other debris for your harvest or have to spend extra time cleaning up your yard. For another they have superior ornamental value than other nut trees, in my opinion. They are more suited to being a shade tree than other species due to their form and the large leaves make a beautiful canopy. They have a few drawbacks to consider. Firstly, they need a ton of space. These trees get big! You do not want this planted within 20-30 ft of your house, and if you have more space, plant it farther away than that. Definitely not a space saving option here. Another consideration is that walnut trees do contain a compound called juglone that is toxic to other plants. Research varies on the effects of using different parts from the tree on other plants so caution should be taken. If composting the leaves and husks, make sure they are fully broken down before using the compost or just keep them out of your compost pile. In summary if you are replacing a large shade tree, or have room for a large tree that you would like to produce food, walnut trees are a good option. They have beautiful branch structure and a full canopy that provides wonderful shade. Harvesting walnuts is easier than other nut trees, and they don’t need to be climbed or shaken to collect the harvest. Plant instead of other large shade trees such as elm, ash, or oak for a food producing alternative.
Citrus
Citrus are very versatile in the landscape. They are evergreen and can be used as a small shade tree (with pruning), as a screening plant and they are even a great option for a large shrub. The benefit of citrus is that you can find varieties in standard size, semi-dwarf and dwarf trees. Dwarf trees usually reach around 10ft and are best for using as a large evergreen shrub or for a screening plant. Semi dwarf varieties reach around 15ft and are suitable to be used for screening and privacy as well as being pruned for a small shade tree. Standard citrus reach about 20-25ft if left unpruned and are best selected for a shade tree. Citrus can be a bit sensitive to frost when they are young so plant your little trees in spring and cover them with frost cloth for at least the first winter they are in the ground. Generally they will do OK without winter protection but winters vary from year to year and it’s better to protect your investment. Sandier soil is preferable to citrus so amend your ground on planting, especially if you have heavier soil. You can replace large shrubs like Photinia, privet, and xylosma with semi dwarf varieties of citrus. Be aware that citrus can withstand some shearing but be careful of doing too much as it can damage the plant aesthetic and reduce the vigor and yield of the plant. Use the standard varieties of citrus instead of any small to medium sized shade tree. Just remember for placement in the landscape that any fruit you don’t eat will drop to the ground. If using citrus as a shade tree, prune them as they grow to have the structure you want. The natural form is more like a shrub but they can be trained with some planning and careful pruning.
Bay laurel
Honestly these are one of my all time favorite trees. The classic bay leaf that your stew recipe calls for is a very versatile plant. Small sized evergreen tree that can be used as a screening plant, hedge, in foundation planting or as a shade tree with time. They are slow growing, easy care, and takes our valley heat like it’s nothing, and add a delicious flavor to your food! Oh and did I mention almost no mess? Make sure you get a variety that's guaranteed to be a male tree (Saratoga is a popular example) as the female trees set fruit that can be a nuisance. Bay laurels do not grow quickly which is an advantage for low maintenance. They take well to being sheared if your desire is to have a pristine hedge. Some varieties like Monrovia’s Little Ragu stay smaller (around 8ft) and are a great option for an edible shrub. Other varieties reach 15-20 ft tall making them a beautiful selection for a small shade tree or screening plant. These plants are not fussy and have few issues. The only thing to keep an eye on is the scale. In the spring and fall keep a close eye out for these insects on the leaves and either blast them off with water or manually remove them. They are easy to control in small numbers but can be a headache if they get out of control.
Elderberry
Elderberry grows wild all over the foothills and into parts of the valley, usually staying near a water source. They have beautiful umbrella shaped flower clusters of creamy white that transform into dark, almost black or dusty blue berries depending on the specific species. These are loved by pollinators and both the berries and flowers are edible. Do bear in mind that the berries need to be cooked before they are consumed and say away from fruit that isn’t fully ripe. Elderberry plants will look like large shrubs unless they are properly trained while they are young to take the form of a tree. These are great to use as a specimen plant or focal point tree as both the flowers and fruit are attractive and provide ornamental value. The berries do stain so keep these away from walkways or patios. Generally these trees will be around 10-15ft in height.
Stone Fruit trees
There are so many delicious types of stone fruit and thankfully they now come in a variety of forms that allow you to maximize your planting space. Select dwarf trees or the fruit salad that have 3 or 4 different varieties of stone fruit grafted on. These are going to be the best option for smaller yards or backyard gardens and not give you way more fruit than you need in the space of a couple of weeks. Fruit salad trees also have the benefit of multiple types of fruit without having to have 3 or 4 different trees. The dwarf fruit trees stay at 6 feet or under, are slow growing, and great for pots or foundation plantings. They produce normal sized fruit as long as you thin them as the fruit is developing. Beautiful flowers in spring of either pink or white and great fall color on these as well, so put them in a spot you can appreciate what they have to offer. Along with your standard stone fruit trees like peaches, plums, and cherries consider planting a persimmon tree if you like the fruit. They have beautiful color in the fall and any fruit left on the branches after the leaves drop
Pineapple guava
These are a great small evergreen tree, screening plant or hedge. Both the flowers and the fruit are edible and I actually prefer to snack on the sweet tasting flowers. They bloom in spring and set fruit in the fall. The dusty silvery green foliage makes a nice contrast and has a similar stylistic effect to olive. They take to hedging well or you can prune them up as a tree to reveal the attractive scaly bark. They fruit prolifically so consider placement accordingly. They can reach 15 feet in height if left unpruned but are easily maintained under that. They grow quickly after the first year in the ground and so make a great option as a screening plant. Plant these instead of privet, podocarpus, or cherry laurels.
Pomegranate
Like some of the others in this list pomegranates also make a good option for shrub replacements as well as trees. These are on the smaller side than many of the other trees in this list and are more suited to being a small specimen tree or focal point. They can be left shrubby or trained as a tree and provide a lot in the way of ornamental value. The fruit is incredibly beautiful in all stages of development and the flowers are striking. Not to mention they turn to pure gold in the fall! Spring growth is also quite beautiful with the new leaves emerging with rusty and blush tones depending on variety. In general pomegranates are 12 ft in height and some dwarf varieties can be found as well.
There are other great options for food producing trees out there but these are among my favorites and they all do great in the Central Valley. If you need help with selection or thinking through tree placement in your yard, or even designing an edible landscape, send me a message in my contacts page. I’d love to hear from you. And don’t forget to check out my other blog post introducing the topic of a yard that produces food while still being beautiful. Stay tuned for more posts about edible shrubs, perennials, annuals and more!
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