The candlestick cassia, also known as the candelabra plant, is a highly valued plant in our zone 9 food forest due to its rapid growth (ideal for chop & drop), nitrogen fixation capabilities, popularity with pollinators when its vibrant yellow flowers are in bloom, and the abundance of seeds it produces. It also grows in…
The Wax Myrtle, or Southern Bayberry aka Myrica Cerifera is a fast-growing, Florida native shrub. These beneficial shrubs can grow up to 20′ tall, the leaves can be used like Bay leaves and the smell is said to naturally repel mosquitoes and fleas, and a variety of wildlife loves to eat the berries which can…
Today we’re talking about the False Roselle aka Cranberry Hibiscus (Hibiscus acetosella). This beautiful, low-maintenance and useful plant is one of my favorite plants in our Florida food forest garden. It’s a great pollinator plant, heat tolerant, fast growing for chop & drop, and the edible leaves and calyces can be used for teas, juices, and…
Gandules (a nitrogen fixer) are one of the most useful plants we have in our food forest garden. These easy-to-grow, fast-growing trees produce a lot of edible beans and generate a lot of biomass to feed back to the soil. growing Gandules | the specs can be grown in Zone 9 or higher: Gandules don’t…