Mulberry – Morus alba
Tree 10 -15 m can be coppiced. Produces edible berries in Autumn, good chook fodder, and high-quality leaf fodder for other grazing species. Deciduous. Hardy. Self-Fertile.
Fodder, Fruit/Berry, Coppicing, Hedgerow.
Mulberry – Morus nigra
Tree 5 –8 m can be coppiced. Produces edible berries in Autumn, good chook fodder, and high-quality leaf fodder for other grazing species. Deciduous. Hardy. Self-Fertile
Fodder, Fruit/Berry, Coppicing, Hedgerow.
Common Linden – Tilia europaea
Large tree reaching 35 m but can be coppiced. Multi use tree, fodder, edible leaves and flowers, wood used for posts, poles, firewood, carving etc. Deciduous, Hardy.
Fodder, Edible leaves, hedging, Birds/Bees.
Weeping Willow – Salix babylonica pendula
Wide pendulous tree reaching 10 m. Fodder and shade. Good paddock tree. Tolerant of wet soils. Attractive to bees. Deciduous. Hardy.
Fodder, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Shade, Wet areas.
Japanese fodder willow – Salix kinuyanagi
Fast growing, bushy tree to 4m. Excellent fodder. Nitrogen content 2.7% dry weight similar to Lucerne hay. Deciduous. Hardy.
Shelter, Fodder, Hedging, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Coppicing, Hedgerow.
Basket Willow/Osier – Salix viminalis
Multi stemmed shrub fast growing up to 6m. Prefers wet sites. Is also planted in small-scale water treatment systems. Used in basketry and living willow sculptures.
Fodder, Hedging, Basketry, waterside planting, coppicing, contaminated sites, Medicinal, Hedgerow.
Purple basket Willow/Osier – Salix purpurea
Broadly spreading, deciduous shrub reaching 2-5m. Widely utilised for basket weaving. Coppice annually to produce basket material.
Fodder, Hedging, Basketry, waterside planting, coppicing, contaminated sites, Medicinal, Hedgerow, Erosion Control.
Golden willow – Salix alba ‘Vitellina’
Broadly spreading, deciduous tree reaching 10-20m. Current year’s shoots are yellow in winter, adding a touch of colour. A cultivar of white willow which has long been used for its medicinal properties, the active extract of the bark, called salicin, is the fore runner to today’s aspirin.
Fodder, Hedging, Basketry, waterside planting, coppicing, Medicinal, Hedgerow, Erosion Control.
Tortured/Corkscrew Willow – Salix matsudana ‘tortuosa’
Fast growing deciduous tree reaching up to 20m. Grows well in wet sites and is hardy. The corkscrew like twisted branches and stems are popular in floral arrangements.
Fodder, shade, Basketry, floral arrangements, waterside planting, coppicing, contaminated sites, Medicinal.
Tagasaste – Tree lucerne – Chamaecytisus palmensis
Small, fast-growing tree up to 5 m high. Good feed for farm livestock maintenance and for wool growth. Provides shelter from wind and firewood. Nitrogen fixing, deep rooted and drought tolerant. Evergreen, but can be frost tender when young.
Fodder, Firewood, Shelter, Nitrogen fixing, Birds/bees, Hedgerow.
Apple rose – Rosa rugosa
Forms dense thickets 1–1.50 m tall. Bears fragrant single flowers followed by large rose hips high in Vit C. Edible flowers, hips and leaves. Hardy.
Hedging, Barrier, Birds/bees, Fodder, Edible, Medicinal, Hedgerow.
Hazel – Appleby
Low vigour, spreading tree form, moderate suckering, with good yields. Needs pollinator possibly Campanica, Butler, Davianna and Merveille de Bollwiller could be used. Good flavour.
Hazel – Merveille de bollwiller
A large attractive nut. Highly sought-after pollinator. Vigorous grower. Pollinate with ‘Alexandra’. Hardy. Late cropper, ripens April.
Hazel – Whiteheart
Good yields of medium-sized nuts with a clean kernel and excellent flavour. Best hazelnut for processing. Pollinators include ‘Alexandra’ and ‘Merveille de Bollwiller’. Ripens April.
Hazels are fast growing plant reaching 3–8 m tall, but can reach 15 m. Suitable for nut production and as a coppice for basket and fence making. This shrub or small tree grows best in sheltered areas with fertile soil and consistent moisture levels. Requires cross-pollination in order to produce nuts. Looks great as an edible hedge. Deciduous. Hardy.
Fodder, Shelter, Hedging, Erosion Control, Timber, Nut, Coppicing, Hedgerow.
Feijoa – Acca sellowiana
Small tree up to 7m. The fruit, maturing in autumn and the flower petals are edible often used in salads, good hedging/low shelter plant. Leaves are edible for livestock. Evergreen, Hardy.
Fodder, Hedging, Birds/Bees, Orchard/Fruit, Hedgerow.
Walnut – Juglans regia
Fast growing tree reaching 15m. Seedling trees produce sweet, edible nuts. There will be natural variation between trees. Timber is valued for furniture. Deciduous. Hardy
Fodder(nut), Timber, Nut, Coppice.
Chestnut – sweet. – Castanea sativa
Wide-spreading tree reaching 20m with edible nuts in autumn. Valuable timber. Deciduous. Hardy to frost.
Tall Shelter, Ground Durable, Fodder (nut and leaves), Birds/Bees, Timber, Orchard/Fruit, Coppice.
Holm Oak – Quercus Ilex bullota.
A broad, spreading, dense tree reaching 15m. Hard timber producer. Can be pruned into a hedge, shelter belt or topiary. Tolerates heat, drought, exposure, shade and salt spray. Evergreen. Hardy.
Fodder (leaf and nut), Hedging, Timber, Hedgerow, edible acorn.
Sugar Maple– Acer saccharum.
Large tree to 15m. Needs fertile soils and long, cold, moist winters. Spring sap can be processed into maple syrup. Durable, close-grained wood. Wilted leaves are toxic to horses. Deciduous. Cold hardy.
Fodder, Timber, Sap.
Copper Beech – Fagus sylvatica Purpurea
A broadly-spreading tree reaching 25m. Great hedging. Deciduous. Hardy.
Fodder, Hedging, Birds, Timber, Hedgerow.
Silver wattle – Acacia dealbata
Fast, open shelter reaching 20m. Good timber & fuelwood. Excellent for dry plains sites. Nitrogen fixing. Bright yellow flowers great for bees. Evergreen. Hardy.
Nitrogen Fixing, Shelter, Erosion, Control, Birds/Bees, Timber, Fuelwood, Coppicing, Fodder.
Blackwood wattle – Acacia melanoxylon
A fast-growing, spreading tree reaching 20m. Prefers sheltered sites with good rainfall. Tolerates wet soil. Great erosion protection. Suckering habit. Evergreen. Handles only light frosts when young.
Nitrogen fixing, Shelter, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Timber, Fuelwood, Coppicing, Fodder.
Black Wattle – Acacia mearnsii
Provides fast shelter up to 12m. Excellent pulpwood/firewood. Will grow in clays and poor soils. Non-suckering and nitrogen fixing. Suitable nurse crop for other species including natives. Evergreen. Handles light frosts only.
Nitrogen Fixing, Shelter, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Timber, Fuelwood, Coppicing.
Black Alder or Common Alder – Alnus gultinosa
Large tree reaching 20m. Grows best in moist or wet soils. Deep-rooted and nitrogen-fixing. Tolerates salt winds, wet clays and marshlands. Timber is suitable for furniture and fuelwood. Deciduous. Cold hardy.
Nitrogen Fixing, Shelter, Ground Durable, Erosion Control, Timber, Fuelwood,
Coppicing, Fodder.
Italian Alder – Alnus cordata
Fast growing, deep-rooted, nitrogen-fixing tree reaching 20m. Moderate drought tolerance. Trims well, excellent shelter for native under-story. Deciduous. Cold hardy after first season.
Nitrogen Fixing, Fodder, Shelter, Fuel-Wood, Timber, Coppicing, Erosion Control, Ground Durable.
New Zealand Native Fodder and Foragable Plants
Mahoe – Melictyus.
Small (5m), fast-growing tree. Very palatable to cows and horses, Sheep, deer and goats. Considered a valuable source of fodder, especially in droughts. Partly frost tender when young.
Native Fodder, Birds/bees, Hedgerow.
NZ Flax – Phormium
Grows in clumps 1.5 – 2m. Popular fodder with most grazing species. Tolerant of wide range of conditions including coastal and swamp. Evergreen and very hardy.
Native Fodder, Medicinal (Wormer for livestock), Weaving and fibre, Low shelter, Erosion control, Birds/bees, Hedgerow.
Toe Toe – Austroderia toe toe
Fast growing in clumps up to 3m in height. Will grow in most soils but prefers wet soil. Evergreen and hardy.
Native Fodder, Shelter, Erosion control, Hedgerow.
Cabbage tree – Cordyline australis
Grows up to 20 metres. Can be used as stock fodder if no access is allowed to the crown of the plant. Evergreen and hardy
Native fodder, Tall Shelter, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Shade Tolerant, Hedgerow.
Karo – Pittosporum crassifolium
Small, dense bush or small tree up to 5m. Excellent on the coast. Responds well to trimming. Grows well under tall deciduous trees. Nectar from November-December. Fruit/seeds from February-June. Evergreen. Frost-tender when young.
Native Fodder, Tall Shelter, Low Hedging, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Shade Tolerant, Medicinal (Wormer for livestock).
Kohuhu – Pittosporum tenuifolium
Large shrub or small tree reaching 6m. Excellent revegetation species. Tolerates wind, drought, frost and coastal conditions. Attractive to bees. Evergreen. Very frost hardy.
Native Fodder, Shelter, Hedging, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Shade Tolerant, Hedgerow.
Lemonwood/Tarata – Pittosporum eugenioides
Quick-growing shelter, revegetation or hedging tree reaching 12m. Attractive to bees. Evergreen. Frost-tender when young.
Native Fodder, Shelter, Hedging, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Shade Tolerant, Hedgerow.
Broadleaf/Kapuka – Griselinia littoralis.
Up to 4m tall shrub with large, glossy thick green leaves. Excellent shelter. Withstands drought and coastal conditions although performs best with regular irrigation. Trim in summer. Berries attract birds. Evergreen. Hardy. Highly palatable fodder.
Fodder, Shelter, Hedging, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Shade Tolerant, Hedgerow.
Hebe/Koromiko – Hebe salicifolia
Fast-growing large, spreading shrub reaching 4m. Good low shelter. Excellent revegetation plant. Prefers a moist soil. Evergreen. Hardy.
Native Fodder, Hedging, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Medicinal.
Ake Ake – Dodonaea viscosa
Fast-growing small tree reaching 7m. Tolerates salt winds and dry conditions. Prefers well-drained soils away from heavy frosts when young. Evergreen.
Native fodder, Shelter, Hedging, Erosion Control.
Manuka – Leptospermum scoparium
Fast growing tree reaching 4m. Major bee plant for high value Manuka honey. Nurse plant for native revegetation. Thrives on moist sites, even tolerant of some wet. Susceptible to scale, sooty mould although this provides a food source for birds. Requires full sun. Evergreen. Avoid heavy frosts.
Hedging, Erosion Control, Birds/Bees, Fuelwood, Native Fodder, Medicinal, Leaves for tea.
Vines and Berries
Grape – Vitis vinifera
A vigorous and climbing woody vine that can reach a height of 15-20 m in the wild. In cultivated vines development is dramatically reduced through yearly pruning of shoots and leaves. While usually grown for its fruit, grape leaves and shoots are used as fodder/forage in many Mediterranean countries.
Fruit. Fodder/Forage, Shade, Birds/Bees.
Raspberry –
Spreading cane plant. Edible berries, leaves are medicinal, Prefers well fed mulched soil, water well though dry periods. Cold hardy.
Fruit, Fodder/Forage, Forest edge plant, Birds/Bees.
Raspberry – black
Cane plant. Edible berries. Vigorous plant with no thorns. Needs support.
Fruit, Fodder/Forage, Forest edge plant, Birds/Bees.
Blackberry – Thornless
A bramble bush with long, thorn-less, arching shoots which root easily. Long, arching canes that do not flower or set fruit until the second year of growth.
Fruit, Fodder/Forage, Forest edge plant, Birds/Bees.
Perennials
Jerusalem artichoke – Helianthus tuberosus
An erect, rhizomatous perennial herb, up to about 3 m high. Mainly grown for its edible tuber for both people and livestock, it also produces stalks and leaves which are highly palatable to livestock and small sunflower like flowers. It is best fed to livestock prior to flowers developing. Stalks are often used as compost carbon, but the plant can deplete soils so best grown with mineral accumulators or fed yearly. Plants are frost tender but tubers will survive and grow back.
Edible tuber, Fodder/forage, Bee plant, Compost.
Comfrey –
Herbaceous perennial which dies back over winter. good summer ground cover and companion plant for trees.
Mineral accumulator, animal fodder (there are conflicting opinions on this) Medicinal.
Globe Artichoke –
Vigorous and prolific plants grow up to a height of 1.8m and will produce the first year from seed but are usually better when cut back and carried over to the second year. Matures second season from transplant.*
Edible buds, Fodder/forage, medicinal, bee plant, compost.