Welcome back. It’s time for part two of this fast growing plants series. If you haven’t already, check out part one, Five Fantastic Fast Growing Plants to Kickstart Your Food Forest. Today we’ll cover five more fast growing plants to help your perennial garden or food forest to fill in quickly. As with part one, these plants are suitable for temperate climates in zones 5-8, but many of them have a wider range, with some thriving down to zone 2 and others up to zone 10.
So let’s get into it!
Sea Kale (Crambe maritima)
- Hardiness Zones: 4-8
- Form: Medium Herb
- Size: 2’-3’ x 3’
Sea kale is a lesser-known perennial vegetable that’s native to the coasts of Europe and has naturalized on the western coast of the U.S. It’s a clumping herb with wide, crinkly silvery-green leaves resembling garden kale, that grows to about three feet tall and wide with large masses of white flowers.
Benefits and Uses of Sea Kale
With its silvery-green crinkly leaves and pretty white flower clusters, sea kale is often grown as an ornamental but it has much more to it than aesthetic appeal. The edible parts of sea kale include the shoots, leaves, and flower buds, which can be eaten like asparagus, collards, and broccoli, respectively. Its beautiful white flower clusters also provide nectar for pollinators.
Growing and Harvesting Sea Kale
Sea kale is a hardy perennial plant that thrives in coastal regions and sandy soils but also does well in many inland locations as a xeric plant. It likes full sun and well-drained soil and is tolerant of salt spray and high winds. Start with young plants or root cuttings for easier establishment and propagate by divisions or root cuttings. Sea kale seeds are also available, though germination can be tricky. If you purchase seeds or cuttings, make sure they are marked Crambe maritima, to ensure you’re getting sea kale and not another variety of perennial kale.
For the best flavor, blanch shoots just as they begin to emerge by covering them with mulch or an overturned terracotta flower pot with the hole covered. Cut shoots when they are about six to nine inches tall and eat them like asparagus.
Shoots are the main crop of sea kale, but its flower buds and the leaves of non-flowering plants can also be eaten. As with other brassicas (the broccoli family), avoid eating large quantities of sea kale, especially raw, and especially for young children, as eating too much can cause intestinal upset.
Design Ideas and Varieties
Sea kale’s robust foliage and unique texture make it an excellent addition to both ornamental and edible landscapes. It can be planted as a focal point, along borders, or incorporated into mixed perennial beds. As a medium-sized herb, sea kale fits into the herbaceous layer of a food forest. Plant it between trees and shrubs to attract more pollinators to your garden.
While Crambe maritima is the most common species, cultivars are available, such as ‘Dwarf Green’ or ‘De Vilmoriniana,’ which offer compact growth habits or different leaf colors.
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Hardiness Zones: 3-8
- Form: Large Herb
- Size: 3’-4’ x 1’-2’
Purple coneflower, commonly known as echinacea, is a delightful fast-growing plant for the garden. It’s a long-lived perennial wildflower, native to the eastern U.S. that grows three to four feet tall with distinctive daisy-like flowers with purple petals surrounding a prominent dark brown cone.
Benefits and Uses of Purple Coneflower
The central cone of the echinacea flower contains seeds that provide food for birds during fall and winter. Additionally, the roots of purple coneflower have long been used in herbal remedies to support immune health and overall well-being.
Coneflowers also make excellent cut flowers. Harvest some of the blooms for a bouquet and leave some for the pollinators.
Growing and Harvesting Purple Coneflower
Purple coneflower is a hardy perennial that thrives in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soil. Start with young plants or sow coneflower seeds directly in early spring or fall, spacing them 18 to 24 inches apart. Regular watering helps establish their roots, but once established, they are drought-tolerant. To encourage continuous blooming, dead head by snipping off spent flowers with clean garden shears.
To harvest, pick the stalks in full bloom during mid to late summer to support pollinators. For medicinal use, harvest the roots in the fall after the blooming cycle. Divide the plants every few years to maintain their vitality. With minimal maintenance, you can enjoy the beauty and benefits of purple coneflowers in your garden for years to come.
Coneflower Design Ideas and Varieties
Plant purple coneflowers in and around your fruit trees or edible plants to attract beneficial pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Incorporate purple coneflowers into a dedicated medicinal herb garden or mixed perennial bed. Combining purple coneflowers with other beneficial plants. Pair them with herbs such as lavender, rosemary, or sage.
While the classic purple hue is the most common, there are coneflower cultivars available with different flower colors, such as ‘White Swan’ or ‘PowWow Wild Berry.’ Compact varieties such as ‘Paradiso Dwarf Blend’ are suitable for smaller spaces or as understory plants in your food forest, allowing you to maximize vertical growing space while enjoying the beauty and benefits of purple coneflowers.
Goumi (Eleagnus multiflora)
- Hardiness Zones: 5-8
- Form: Large Shrub
- Size: 6’-8’ x 6’-8’
Benefits and Uses of Goumi
Goumi is a large, fruit-bearing shrub that offers both ornamental and edible benefits. Its clusters of red berries are not only delicious but also packed with antioxidants and vitamins. The sweet and tangy berries can be used to make jams, and jellies, or be enjoyed fresh. Goumi is also a nitrogen-fixing plant, enriching the soil with nitrogen and benefiting neighboring plants. The shrub’s silvery leaves and fragrant flowers add beauty to the landscape.
Growing and Harvesting Goumi
Goumi is adaptable to a wide range of soil types, from sandy to clayey, and can tolerate dry and alkaline conditions. It prefers full sun to partial shade. Plant at least two goumi plants for cross-pollination and optimal fruit production. Goumi is generally low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established. Prune the shrub lightly in early spring to maintain its shape and promote bushier growth.
Harvest the ripe berries when they turn a deep red color and have a sweet aroma, usually in early to mid-spring.
Design Ideas and Varieties
Goumi’s attractive silver-green foliage, fragrant flowers, and vibrant red berries make it a beautiful addition to edible landscapes or mixed shrub borders. Plant it alongside other flowering shrubs or as a hedge for added visual interest. Goumi berry cultivars include ‘Red Gem’ and ‘Sweet Scarlet.’ Other Eleagnus species also fix nitrogen and produce edible berries including autumn olive (Eleagnus umbellata), oleaster (Elaeagnus x ebbingei ), and silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata).
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
- Hardiness Zones: 4-9
- Form: Prostrate – Small Herb
- Size: 4”-12” x Indefinite
Wild strawberries are fast-growing plants, perfect for the garden as a fruitful groundcover. They spread quickly through runners and tolerate some shade, as they’re accustomed to in their natural woodland and forest edge habitat.
Benefits and Uses of Wild Strawberry
Wild strawberry bears little red berries that can either be left for wildlife or picked and eaten as a sweet summertime treat. Wild strawberries are known for their intense flavor, often described as sweeter and more aromatic than cultivated varieties. The plants also produce pretty white flowers that attract pollinators, and they spread quickly by runners to protect and cover the soil.
Growing and Harvesting Wild Strawberry
Wild strawberries prefer well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Start wild strawberries with young plants or runners for easier establishment, although they can be grown from seed as well. Regularly water the plants to moisten the soil, especially during hot and dry periods. Mulching around the young plants can help retain moisture and reduce weed competition while the patch establishes itself. I’ve found that wild strawberry runners are able to root even through four to six inches of woodchip mulch.
Harvest the ripe berries as soon as they turn red and detach easily from the plant. Due to their small size, don’t expect to get a lot of food from your wild strawberry patch, but they do provide a fun treat, and foraging them in your backyard is a perfect activity for kids at home on summer vacation.
Design Ideas and Varieties
Wild strawberries are perfect for rock gardens, beneath fruit trees, or as a ground cover in between stepping stones. Consider mixing different wild strawberry varieties (I’ve seen yellow varieties as well as the standard red). While Fragaria virginiana is one strawberry species native to North America, a similar species is the woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), and in coastal regions, you may find beach strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis). There are also cultivated varieties available, such as Fragaria vesca ‘Alexandria’ or Fragaria x ananassa, which offer larger fruits and different flavors.
Sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
- Hardiness Zones: 2-9
- Form: Large to Very Large Herb
- Size: 5’ x 12’ x Indefinite
Sunflowers are iconic garden plants that brighten summer with their bright yellow or multi-colored blooms. Unlike most of the plants on this list, they’re annuals, however, they readily reseed themselves year after year. And because they’re fast-growing plants, they quickly grow tall and brighten the garden each summer.
Benefits and Uses of Sunflower
Sunflowers are highly ornamental but not only do they add beauty to the landscape but they also offer practical uses for the garden and gardener.
Sunflowers attract pollinators, provide food for birds with their seeds, and can be harvested for their edible seeds or used as a natural screen in the summer months. Sunflower seeds are rich in healthy fats, protein, and vitamins.
Growing and Harvesting Sunflower
Sunflowers require full sun and well-drained soil. They are relatively low-maintenance and can tolerate dry conditions once established. Sow sunflower seeds directly into the ground in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. Plant them at the appropriate depth and spacing according to the specific sunflower variety. Ensure the sunflowers receive sufficient water, especially during dry spells. Stake taller varieties if necessary to prevent them from toppling over in strong winds.
Harvest the mature sunflower heads when the back of the flower turns yellow and the seeds are plump and firm.
Design Ideas and Varieties
Sunflowers are ideal for creating a vibrant backdrop in the garden or as a focal point in flower beds. They also make excellent additions to children’s gardens or wildlife-friendly areas. Plant them in clusters or rows, or around a veggie garden to draw in pollinators. Explore different sunflower varieties, such as the giant ‘Mammoth’ sunflower or the multi-colored ‘Heirloom Beauties’ to add diversity and visual interest to your garden.
Conclusion
That does it for this installment, but I still have five more fast-growing plants for the garden to share with you in part three, so keep a lookout in the next few weeks. In the meantime, choose a few of the plants from this article or part one (I’ve linked to resources for seeds and live plants or cuttings) to plant for some quick growth in your food forest or garden. Happy growing!
Leave a Reply