On my wanders in the last few days I've come across several indigenous plants that would make a great contribution in permaculture gardens. And - coincidence? - I've also run into several people who wanted to know more about how local natives could be used in permaculture. As we walked and talked, we came across so many suitable plants, such as:
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| You can't go past Native Broom (Viminaria juncea) as a fast-growing shelter tree that also attracts masses of insect pollinators, plus also fixing nitrogen in the soil. |
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| Giant Pepper Vine (Piper hederaceum) has a wealth of uses in permaculture. The fruit can be used the same way as cultivated pepper (P. nigrum), while the young leaves and growing tips are edible in salads and stir fries. A fast-growing plant, Giant Pepper Vine puts on bulk that could be put to use in chop-and-drop. |
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| The soft, gently toothed leaves of this native Plantago (P. debilis) are edible, with a mild, pleasant taste. It's also a fast-spreading and growing ground cover that can help cover bare soil. |
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| Many species of native cress, including the Cardamines and Rorippas, are edible and quite palpable. Care needs to be taken in identification. |
It reminded me that we did a post on GIN a few years back about local natives in permaculture. It's about as current as ever, so I'm sharing it again here. On that note, please get in touch here or via Facebook if you've got questions or permie connections to share!
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