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| Plant Availability List 2013 |
| Plants available Food for the Body, Mind, Spirit and the landscape |
EARTH ADVOCATES RESEARCH FARM
| 30 Myers Road Summertown, Tn. 38483-7323 U.S.A Phone: (931) 964-4151 Fax: (931) 964-4228 Hours: 7:00 am-5:00 pm CST M-F Visits By Appointment Only |
Edibles/Medicinals (for body & spirit) as of late Spring 2013
Black-Cap Raspberry – (Rubus occidentalis)
Native to the Southeastern U.S. Silvery purple canes in winter. Produces the first fruit of the year, usually during the first
week in June. Very healthful and delicious, too!!! Leaves for tea. Hardy zones: 5-9
Wineberry – Chinese Raspberry – (Rubus phoenicolasius)
Shade tolerant, fruits mid-summer with delicious sweet, tart orange-red berry in late June. Has beautiful maroon canes in
the winter. Hardy zones: 5-9
Thornless Boysenberry – (Rubus hybrid)
Blackberry-like fruit in mid to late summer – enormous and delicious. Excellent fresh or for juice. High in antioxidants.
Hardy zones: 5-9
Blueberries – (Vaccinium spp.)
Delicious, healthy, native fruit. Beautiful in the landscape with good fall color. Likes slightly acid, moist soil with lots of
organic matter & heavy mulch. We offer a variety of the Rabbit-eye (V. ashei) types good for Southern gardens – such as:
Tifblue, Premiere, Centurion, Brightwell and Savannah.
Cameo Quince – (Chaenomeles hybrid)
Unusual thornless flowering Quince with double salmon-colored flowers in mid-spring followed by small usable fruit in the
fall. Stoloniferous – 5 feet tall in sun to part shade. Makes a very pretty short hedge or specimen.
Cornelian Cherry – (Cornus mas)
Clusters of small bright yellow flowers March and April. A hardy dogwood relative – this is a small tree – 15-20 feet with
delicious cherry-like fruit in mid-summer which is good for pies, wine or fresh. Hardy zones: 3-8. An important fruit in eastern
Europe.
Chinese Tree Quince – (Cydonia sinensis)
Beautiful trouble-free small tree to 20’ tall with interesting, exfoliating bark and nice winter profile. 1½” pink flowers in mid-
spring followed by large (2-3 lb) cooking quality, aromatic yellow fruit in mid-fall. Warm fall color in peachy tones. Very
healthful – usually cooked. The healthful fruit also cans nicely in light sugar syrup. Very reliable crop in zone 6 – tends to be
multi-stemmed unless pruned. Also makes excellent syrup or jelly.
Chestnuts – (Castanea hybrids)
We have several hybrid chestnuts – seed grown from open pollinated selected cultivars. The mother trees are:
Marrisard – a heat tolerant, disease resistant smallish tree with large, good-flavored, late ripening chestnuts. 3-year old
seed grown – needs a pollinator. Sleeping Giant or Skioka are good choices.
Colossal – (Japanese x European) –Parent tree produces exceptionally big nuts of good quality. Very productive, Early
ripening, easy peeling, popular orchard variety. Has survived -28ºF. Pollen sterile – needs a pollinator. Does best in warm
summer climate regions. 2-year-old seed grown.
Layeroka – Early ripening variety. Heavy yields of medium to large sweet nuts. Precocious, vigorous tree, erect timber
form, very winter hardy (Zones 4-8), blight resistant. Pollen sterile – needs a pollinator.
Sleeping Giant – Parent tree has large timber form with big sweet nuts. Blight resistant. A good pollinator.
Skioka – A Chinese type growing to 50’ with spreading habit. Similar in tree form to Layeroka, but less productive. A
good pollinator, later ripening. Parent of Layeroka and Skookum.
Figs – (Ficus carica)
We offer a number of everbearing types (early crop on old wood, fall crop on new wood) such as Nero, Danny’s Delight,
Kadota, Alma, Brown Turkey, Green Ischia, etc. As figs are top (wood) hardy down to 5ºF, they do best in a microclimate here
in middle Tennessee.
Flowering Quince – (Chaenomeles hybrids)
We offer ‘Toyonishki’ and seedlings from our own breeding. The Flowering Quinces are hardy, early spring flowering,
edible ornamentals. Fruit is smaller than the tree quince but can be preserved the same as a jam or jelly or cooked. Healthful.
Hardy Dwarf Citrus – (Poncirus trifoliata ‘Flying Dragon’)
Thorny, contorted small tree to about 8 feet with fragrant flowers in April-May followed by small citrus fruit used in cooking
(recipe available). This mono-specific genus is native to temperate China. The hardiest of all true citrus this deciduous,
contorted dwarf has come through -11ºF. and borne a crop of fruit the same year. It has a dramatic winter silhouette. Good
specimen or excellent choice for a deer-proof hedge – also people proof. Likes full sun to part shade. (see Mail Order Books
& Plants tab on the web site)
Japanese Goumi – (Elaeagnus multiflora)
Cherry like, mid-summer bearing, 10’ tall in 10 years with fragrant flowers. The fruit makes good jam and is high in
antioxidants. Nitrogen-fixing shrub.
Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
Flowers similar to our native dogwood but one month later. Produces an edible strawberry-like fruit in late summer.
Pomegranates – (Punica granatum)
Generally hardy to about 10ºF. Requires a microclimate here in middle Tennessee. Likes full to half day sun and good
drainage. New to us (5 years) – we have about 30 cultivars under trial here.
Thornless Honey Locust – (Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis)
Fast growing, thornless, nitrogen-fixing tree that makes an open shade. Pods are edible, similar to Carob to which it is
related. Gives a high-quality wood, good livestock feed. Full Sun is best.
HERBS/VEGETABLES
Air Potato – (Dioscorea bulbifera)
An Asia yam related to our native Dioscorea. Hardy perennial herbaceous twining vine producing edible underground
tubers as well as bearing 2 or 3 small edible aerial tubers in leaf axils in late summer/early fall which can be used like
potatoes. Beautiful fall color -- best on a trellis.
Arugula – the wild form – (Diplotaxis muralis)
Smaller leaves and slower to bolt than garden arugula with delicate yellow flowers. Piquant, peppery flavor. Perennial
and self-seeding in middle Tennessee. Likes full sun to part shade.
Prickly Pear Cactus – (Opuntia englemannii)
Noted for the size and quality of its fruit (tunas), it is hardy outdoors here in middle Tennessee. Young pads are the
Mexican vegetable nopales. Both pads and fruit are used in preventing and treating diabetes.
Edible Ginger – (Zingiber officinale)
Tropical -- 15ºF minimum temperature. To 6’ tall, 10” long narrow leaves on a pseudostem. Prefers sunny, well drained,
nutritious soil. Minimum soil temperature to plant out -- 55 ºF. To overwinter ginger it must remain planted in soil/media and
soil temps should not fall below 55 ºF. A heated greenhouse or bringing inside the home after the plant goes dormant for the
season would work. Once air temperatures go below 50 ºF – the plant should be brought inside (home or greenhouse). The
variety we carry is high yielding and has superior flavor to store bought ginger varieties.
Black-Cap Raspberry – (Rubus occidentalis)
Native to the Southeastern U.S. Silvery purple canes in winter. Produces the first fruit of the year, usually during the first
week in June. Very healthful and delicious, too!!! Leaves for tea. Hardy zones: 5-9
Wineberry – Chinese Raspberry – (Rubus phoenicolasius)
Shade tolerant, fruits mid-summer with delicious sweet, tart orange-red berry in late June. Has beautiful maroon canes in
the winter. Hardy zones: 5-9
Thornless Boysenberry – (Rubus hybrid)
Blackberry-like fruit in mid to late summer – enormous and delicious. Excellent fresh or for juice. High in antioxidants.
Hardy zones: 5-9
Blueberries – (Vaccinium spp.)
Delicious, healthy, native fruit. Beautiful in the landscape with good fall color. Likes slightly acid, moist soil with lots of
organic matter & heavy mulch. We offer a variety of the Rabbit-eye (V. ashei) types good for Southern gardens – such as:
Tifblue, Premiere, Centurion, Brightwell and Savannah.
Cameo Quince – (Chaenomeles hybrid)
Unusual thornless flowering Quince with double salmon-colored flowers in mid-spring followed by small usable fruit in the
fall. Stoloniferous – 5 feet tall in sun to part shade. Makes a very pretty short hedge or specimen.
Cornelian Cherry – (Cornus mas)
Clusters of small bright yellow flowers March and April. A hardy dogwood relative – this is a small tree – 15-20 feet with
delicious cherry-like fruit in mid-summer which is good for pies, wine or fresh. Hardy zones: 3-8. An important fruit in eastern
Europe.
Chinese Tree Quince – (Cydonia sinensis)
Beautiful trouble-free small tree to 20’ tall with interesting, exfoliating bark and nice winter profile. 1½” pink flowers in mid-
spring followed by large (2-3 lb) cooking quality, aromatic yellow fruit in mid-fall. Warm fall color in peachy tones. Very
healthful – usually cooked. The healthful fruit also cans nicely in light sugar syrup. Very reliable crop in zone 6 – tends to be
multi-stemmed unless pruned. Also makes excellent syrup or jelly.
Chestnuts – (Castanea hybrids)
We have several hybrid chestnuts – seed grown from open pollinated selected cultivars. The mother trees are:
Marrisard – a heat tolerant, disease resistant smallish tree with large, good-flavored, late ripening chestnuts. 3-year old
seed grown – needs a pollinator. Sleeping Giant or Skioka are good choices.
Colossal – (Japanese x European) –Parent tree produces exceptionally big nuts of good quality. Very productive, Early
ripening, easy peeling, popular orchard variety. Has survived -28ºF. Pollen sterile – needs a pollinator. Does best in warm
summer climate regions. 2-year-old seed grown.
Layeroka – Early ripening variety. Heavy yields of medium to large sweet nuts. Precocious, vigorous tree, erect timber
form, very winter hardy (Zones 4-8), blight resistant. Pollen sterile – needs a pollinator.
Sleeping Giant – Parent tree has large timber form with big sweet nuts. Blight resistant. A good pollinator.
Skioka – A Chinese type growing to 50’ with spreading habit. Similar in tree form to Layeroka, but less productive. A
good pollinator, later ripening. Parent of Layeroka and Skookum.
Figs – (Ficus carica)
We offer a number of everbearing types (early crop on old wood, fall crop on new wood) such as Nero, Danny’s Delight,
Kadota, Alma, Brown Turkey, Green Ischia, etc. As figs are top (wood) hardy down to 5ºF, they do best in a microclimate here
in middle Tennessee.
Flowering Quince – (Chaenomeles hybrids)
We offer ‘Toyonishki’ and seedlings from our own breeding. The Flowering Quinces are hardy, early spring flowering,
edible ornamentals. Fruit is smaller than the tree quince but can be preserved the same as a jam or jelly or cooked. Healthful.
Hardy Dwarf Citrus – (Poncirus trifoliata ‘Flying Dragon’)
Thorny, contorted small tree to about 8 feet with fragrant flowers in April-May followed by small citrus fruit used in cooking
(recipe available). This mono-specific genus is native to temperate China. The hardiest of all true citrus this deciduous,
contorted dwarf has come through -11ºF. and borne a crop of fruit the same year. It has a dramatic winter silhouette. Good
specimen or excellent choice for a deer-proof hedge – also people proof. Likes full sun to part shade. (see Mail Order Books
& Plants tab on the web site)
Japanese Goumi – (Elaeagnus multiflora)
Cherry like, mid-summer bearing, 10’ tall in 10 years with fragrant flowers. The fruit makes good jam and is high in
antioxidants. Nitrogen-fixing shrub.
Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
Flowers similar to our native dogwood but one month later. Produces an edible strawberry-like fruit in late summer.
Pomegranates – (Punica granatum)
Generally hardy to about 10ºF. Requires a microclimate here in middle Tennessee. Likes full to half day sun and good
drainage. New to us (5 years) – we have about 30 cultivars under trial here.
Thornless Honey Locust – (Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis)
Fast growing, thornless, nitrogen-fixing tree that makes an open shade. Pods are edible, similar to Carob to which it is
related. Gives a high-quality wood, good livestock feed. Full Sun is best.
HERBS/VEGETABLES
Air Potato – (Dioscorea bulbifera)
An Asia yam related to our native Dioscorea. Hardy perennial herbaceous twining vine producing edible underground
tubers as well as bearing 2 or 3 small edible aerial tubers in leaf axils in late summer/early fall which can be used like
potatoes. Beautiful fall color -- best on a trellis.
Arugula – the wild form – (Diplotaxis muralis)
Smaller leaves and slower to bolt than garden arugula with delicate yellow flowers. Piquant, peppery flavor. Perennial
and self-seeding in middle Tennessee. Likes full sun to part shade.
Prickly Pear Cactus – (Opuntia englemannii)
Noted for the size and quality of its fruit (tunas), it is hardy outdoors here in middle Tennessee. Young pads are the
Mexican vegetable nopales. Both pads and fruit are used in preventing and treating diabetes.
Edible Ginger – (Zingiber officinale)
Tropical -- 15ºF minimum temperature. To 6’ tall, 10” long narrow leaves on a pseudostem. Prefers sunny, well drained,
nutritious soil. Minimum soil temperature to plant out -- 55 ºF. To overwinter ginger it must remain planted in soil/media and
soil temps should not fall below 55 ºF. A heated greenhouse or bringing inside the home after the plant goes dormant for the
season would work. Once air temperatures go below 50 ºF – the plant should be brought inside (home or greenhouse). The
variety we carry is high yielding and has superior flavor to store bought ginger varieties.