Are you looking to create a thriving food forest or edible perennial garden? Starting with fast growing plants will provide you with some quick successes to get your garden off to a strong start. These resilient plants will rapidly establish themselves and provide you with abundant foliage or harvests in the first or second year.
This article was originally going to cover fifteen different fast-growing plants, but I wanted to include more details for each plant than I could reasonably fit into one article, so I stopped at five. Future posts will cover the remaining ten plants that didn’t make it into this post.
A quick caution before we move on. The very same features that make these plants desirable to quickly fill in a garden can also create a nuisance later on, with persistent, sprawling, or dispersive tendencies that can lead to “weedy” or “invasive” plants if left unattended. That said, most of these plants won’t cause problems in most gardens for most gardeners. Just be mindful about where you plant these tenacious growers. While we’re at the disclaimers, the information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Remember to always use caution when consuming a new plant, either as food or medicine.
Now let’s jump right in and take a look at fifteen five fast-growing plants to help kick-start your food forest or edible perennial garden.
Five Fast-Growing Plants to Kick-Start a Food Forest
1. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Hardiness Zones: 3-10
- Form: Medium Herb
- Size: 2’-3’ tall x indefinite width
Benefits and Uses of Yarrow
Yarrow is a tough and low-maintenance plant. With its feathery leaves and clusters of delicate flowers, it adds charm to any garden, but it does much more. Its nectar attracts pollinators and beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings which are natural predators of common garden pests such as aphids and whiteflies. As a dynamic nutrient accumulator of potassium, phosphorous, and copper, yarrow improves soil fertility over time, benefiting other plants around it. With its thick, soft, and mat-forming foliage, yarrow makes a lovely ground cover that can be left tall or mowed down.
Yarrow leaves, stems and flowers have medicinal properties and can be used to make herbal teas and salves. Yarrow is antihemorrhagic (stops bleeding), anti-inflammatory, and a tonic (promotes general health and well-being).
Yarrow Growing and Harvesting
Yarrow thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, and it can tolerate dry conditions once established. It spreads quickly and can be propagated by digging and dividing in spring or fall. Yarrow is relatively easy to start from seed and can be sowed directly in the garden in early spring or late fall for germination the following spring. Alternatively, start yarrow seedlings indoors under lights and transplant them outside in spring.
Like many fast-growing plants, yarrow is a vigorous grower and can take over an area and shade out other plants if left to its own devices, so keep an eye on it. A good way to manage yarrow and improve the soil at the same time is to cut it back, leaving clippings in place to fertilize the soil(chop and drop). Harvest the leaves and flowers when they’re in their prime for herbal preparations.
Design Ideas and Varieties
Yarrow’s airy flowers and foliage make it a beautiful addition to perennial garden beds, meadow-inspired landscapes, or mixed perennial borders. Plant it alongside coneflowers and lavender for a stunning display, or add it to a turf mix for a lawn alternative. Yarrow makes an excellent herbaceous and groundcover layer in a food forest or fruit tree guild.
Common yarrow is typically white, but many cultivars exist. Consider exploring different yarrow varieties such as ‘Moonshine’ (yellow flowers), ‘Cerise Queen’ (pink flowers), or ‘Paprika’ (red flowers) to add more colors to your garden.
2. Hardy Kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta)
- Hardiness Zones: 4-8
- Form: High Vine
- Size: 20’-100’ x 20’-100’
Benefits and Uses of Hardy Kiwifruit
Hardy kiwifruit is not only a vigorous and fast-growing plant, it’s also an attractive vine that bears edible fruits. Its sweet and tangy fruits are smooth-skinned, smaller than their fuzzy, sub-tropical cousins, and packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Hardy kiwifruit is a superfood, known for its high antioxidant content, supporting overall health and well-being. The vine itself provides a lush green canopy, creating shade and privacy in your garden.
Growing and Harvesting Hardy Kiwifruit
Start with hardy kiwifruit plants or vine cuttings. Hardy kiwifruit thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It’s important to plant both male and female vines for fruit production. The vines require a sturdy support structure, such as a trellis or arbor, to climb and produce abundant fruits. Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring to maintain the desired shape and promote better fruiting. Harvest the ripe fruits when they are slightly soft to the touch and have a sweet fragrance.
Design Ideas and Varieties
If you plan to incorporate hardy kiwifruit into a food forest or fruit tree guild, I recommend against allowing it to climb your trees, as its aggressive growth can damage even mature trees. Instead, provide a sturdy structure for it to climb, such as a robust fence, pergola, or arbor. Explore different hardy kiwifruit varieties, such as ‘Issai’ (self-fertile variety) or ‘Geneva’ (compact variety), to suit your space and taste preferences.
3. Egyptian Walking Onion (Allium cepa proliferum)
- Hardiness Zones: 5-10
- Form: Medium Herb
- Size: 2’ x 2’-5’
Benefits and Uses of Egyptian Walking Onion
The Egyptian walking onion has a distinctive growth habit, with bulbs forming at the top of the stems that give it the unique ability to “walk” and spread across the garden. The green shoots and shallot-like bulbs of Egyptian walking onion are edible with a mild onion flavor. Not only are they edible, but along with other varieties of perennial onion, they’re another superfood, rich in selenium and healthful for mucus membranes. Use them in salads, stir-fries, soups, and just about any place you’d use regular onion.
Additionally, Egyptian walking onions attract pollinators and act as aromatic pest confusers.
Growing and Harvesting Egyptian Walking Onion
Start with walking onion bulbs from a neighbor or nursery. Egyptian walking onion thrives in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. It’s a low-maintenance plant that can tolerate a range of soil conditions. Plant the bulbils or divisions in early spring or fall. Regularly harvest the green shoots and bulbs when they are young and tender for the best flavor.
Design Ideas and Varieties
The Egyptian walking onion’s unique growth habit makes it an interesting addition to herb beds and perennial borders. Its tall stems with top sets create a visually interesting display. Consider planting it in clusters or along garden paths for a whimsical effect. Or plant it around the perimeter of a fruit tree guild to keep pests away. Consider planting some near your backdoor or readily accessible from the kitchen for easy access for use in cooking.
While the Egyptian walking onion is a distinct variety, you may come across similar perennial onion species, such as “Tree Onions” or “Walking Onions,” which share similar growth patterns.
4. Borage (Borago officinalis)
- Hardiness Zones: 3 (minimum)
- Form: Annual Herb (self-seeding)
- Size: 1’-2’ x 9”-12”
Benefits and Uses of Borage
Borage is a delightful and versatile herb with both ecosystem and culinary benefits. Its Vibrant blue flowers not only attract pollinators but are also edible and make a colorful addition to salads, desserts, or beverages. Its leaves and flowers are also edible, highly nutritious, and have a refreshing cucumber-like flavor. Eat them in soups, stir-fries, salads, or smoothies. The mature leaves are better eaten cooked or blended because of their prickly texture.
Like yarrow, borage is a dynamic nutrient accumulator meaning it takes up nutrients from deep in the soil and enriches the topsoil when the foliage dies back and decomposes in winter.
Borage is also known for its medicinal properties and has been traditionally used to support overall well-being.
Growing and Harvesting Borage
Sow borage seeds directly into the garden in early spring or late fall. Although it’s an annual, borage readily self-seeds, so you’ll only have to plant it once, and it might pop up in unexpected places. Borage thrives in full sun and poor (but well-drained) soils, and as a dynamic nutrient accumulator actually improves soil fertility. It can tolerate some shade and is drought-tolerant once established.
Harvest the leaves and flowers when they are young and tender for the best flavor.
Design Ideas and Varieties
Borage’s vibrant blue flowers and hairy foliage make it a stunning addition to herb gardens, flower gardens, and borders, but it’s much more than a pretty face. Its many uses make it an ideal herb for (you guessed it) food forests. Scatter seeds around fruit trees to attract pollinators, increase biodiversity, and improve soil. Use it in the herbaceous layer of a fruit or nut tree guild.
While light purple-blue is the most common color for borage, you may find varieties with pink or white flowers as well.
5. Siberian Pea Shrub (Caragana arborescens)
- Hardiness Zones: 2-7
- Form: Large to very large shrub
- Size: 8’-20’ x 12’-18’
Siberian pea shrub is considered invasive in some locations, so check your local invasive species list before planting it in your garden.
Benefits and Uses of Siberian Pea Shrub
This nitrogen-fixing shrub improves soil fertility by capturing nitrogen from the air and depositing it into the soil. Its yellow flowers add a splash of color to the landscape, while its pea-like pods contain edible seeds that can be used in soups, stews, or roasted as a nutritious snack. Take note, however, that harvesting the seeds is tedious and likely not worthwhile
Siberian pea shrub’s dense growth provides habitat and shelter for wildlife, and it can grow in harsh conditions such as cold, drought, and nutrient-poor soil where little else will take hold
Growing and Harvesting Siberian Pea Shrub
Start Siberian pea shrub with a young plant, cutting, or from seed. Siberian pea shrub is adaptable to various soil conditions, from sandy to clayey, salty, or alkaline. It is a hardy and low-maintenance plant that can tolerate cold climates and drought but prefers full sun. Plant the shrub in well-drained soil and provide occasional watering until it becomes established. Prune the shrub as desired. Harvest the mature pea pods when they turn brown and dry, and the seeds are firm and fully developed.
Design Ideas and Varieties
Siberian pea shrub makes an excellent windbreak, privacy screen, or hedgerow, and its yellow pea-like flowers and delicate fern-like leaves provide ornamental appeal in larger perennial beds and borders where you desire some height.
While Caragana arborescens is the most common species, there are other Caragana varieties available, such as Russian pea shrub (Caragana frutex) or pygmy pea shrub (Caragana pygmaea), which offer different growth habits and flower colors.
Conclusion
Above are five of my favorite fast-growing plants. Incorporating them into your perennial garden or food forest can accelerate the growth and development of your landscape, resulting in a lush and abundant environment in a relatively short period. These plants–yarrow, hardy kiwifruit, Egyptian walking onion, borage, and Siberian pea shrub–offer a range of benefits, from medicinal properties to edible fruits, attracting pollinators, and enhancing the overall fertility, biodiversity, and beauty of your garden or food forest.
These are only a few of the fast-growing plants I want to talk about, so keep a lookout for Parts 2 and 3 in the coming weeks, where I’ll continue the list with coneflower, wild strawberry, sunflower, wolfberry, and more.
Have a go at growing some (or all!) of these fast-growing plants to accelerate your edible landscape. If you already grow any of them, let us know your experience with them in the comments below.
Until next time, happy growing!
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