I have been a master gardener for over 40 years but I didn’t hear of a “food forest” until recently. I downloaded a sample of this book which gives a decent summary of the concept and I heartily recommend it for any of you that are worried (understandably) about our food supply.
With a little help from my assistant T. X. Grok, I developed a list of plants that I will incorporate into my own food forests. Paducah is USDA Hardiness Zone 6a.
USDA Hardiness Zone 6a (average minimum temperatures -10°F to -5°F / -23°C to -21°C) supports a wide range of temperate climate food forest plants. Winters are cold enough to require hardy perennials, but the growing season (roughly 160–180 frost-free days) allows excellent fruit, nut, berry, and root production.
The seven layers of your forest are: Canopy (tall tree); Understory/Low Tree/Large Shrub Layer (10–20 ft); Shrub Layer (3–10 ft); Herbaceous Layer (perennial non-woody); Ground Cover Layer; Vine/Climber Layer; and Root/Rhizosphere Layer. Prioritize cold-hardy varieties (zone 5–7 rated or better), disease-resistant cultivars, and plants that handle clay/loam soils common in many 6a areas. Avoid tender subtropicals (e.g., most citrus, figs outdoors without protection, passionfruit beyond hardy maypop).
Focus on guilds built around a central canopy tree, with supporting plants providing nitrogen fixation, dynamic accumulation, pest repulsion, pollination, mulch, and soil protection. Below are the most comprehensive, zone-6a-appropriate lists per layer, followed by realistic full-seven-layer guild examples.
1. Canopy/Tall Tree Layer (20–50+ ft, full sun, spaced 25–40 ft apart)
Main structure and high-calorie yields (fruit/nuts). Choose semi-standard or standard rootstocks for longevity.
- Apple (many hardy varieties: Honeycrisp, Liberty, Enterprise, Northern Spy)
- Pear (Bartlett, Bosc, Seckel, Moonglow)
- Plum (Stanley, Mount Royal, Alderman)
- Cherry (sweet: Stella, Lapins; tart: Montmorency, North Star)
- Peach/Nectarine (Reliance, Contender, Redhaven – site-select for cold pockets)
- Apricot (Moorpark, Harcot – marginal, needs good microclimate)
- Persimmon (American: Early Golden, Prok; Asian hardy types)
- Mulberry (Illinois Everbearing, Pakistan – very hardy)
- Walnut (Black Walnut – note juglone toxicity; English/Persian on hardy rootstock)
- Chestnut (American-Chinese hybrids, Dunstan)
- Hickory (Shagbark for nuts)
- Serviceberry tree forms (Amelanchier × grandiflora)
- Pawpaw (clusters for pollination; Shenandoah, Susquehanna)
- Hazelnut tree forms (American hybrids)
2. Understory/Low Tree/Large Shrub Layer (10–20 ft)
Shade-tolerant; fills mid-level gaps.
- Dwarf/semi-dwarf apple, pear, plum, cherry
- Pawpaw (often here instead of canopy)
- Serviceberry (multi-stem)
- Hazelnut (American or hybrid filbert)
- Elderberry (American Black – Adams, York)
- Highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)
- Nanking cherry
- Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)
3. Shrub Layer (3–10 ft)
Fast yields; many tolerate partial shade.
- Currants (black, red, white – Titania, Rovada)
- Gooseberry (Pixwell, Hinnomaki Red – thornless options)
- Blueberry (highbush: Bluecrop, Jersey; lowbush for ground)
- Raspberry (heritage everbearing, Boyne)
- Blackberry (thornless: Prime-Ark, Illini Hardy)
- Honeyberry / Haskap (Borealis, Tundra – very early)
- Aronia (black chokeberry – Viking)
- Serviceberry shrub forms
- Goumi/Autumn olive (invasive in some areas – use cautiously or native alternatives)
- Siberian pea shrub (Caragana – N-fixer)
4. Herbaceous Layer (perennial non-woody)
Dynamic accumulators, medicinals, pollinators, chop-and-drop mulch.
- Comfrey (Bocking 14 – sterile, mulch king)
- Rhubarb (Victoria, Canada Red)
- Asparagus
- Horseradish
- Sorrel (garden, French)
- Good King Henry, perennial kale/sea kale
- Lovage
- Walking / Egyptian onions, ramps (wild leeks – shade)
- Yarrow, bee balm, echinacea, anise hyssop
- Oregano, thyme, chives, garlic
- Dill, fennel (self-seed)
5. Ground Cover Layer
Weed suppression, moisture retention, living mulch.
- Strawberries (alpine, everbearing like Eversweet)
- White clover (Dutch – N-fixer)
- Creeping thyme
- Sweet woodruff
- Violets
- Lingonberry/lowbush blueberry
- Wintergreen
- Ajuga (bugleweed)
- Roman chamomile
- Oregano prostrate forms
6. Vine/Climber Layer
Vertical productivity; train on trees, trellises, or arbors.
- Grape (Concord, Frontenac, Marquette – cold-hardy hybrids)
- Hardy kiwi (Issai self-fertile, Anna)
- Hops (for beer or tea)
- Maypop passionfruit (Passiflora incarnata – zone 6 hardy)
- Scarlet runner bean (annual but vigorous)
7. Root/Rhizosphere Layer
Edible roots/tubers; harvest carefully to minimize disturbance.
- Jerusalem artichoke/sunchoke (very hardy)
- Groundnut (Apios americana – native vine/tuber)
- Skirret
- Garlic (hardneck varieties)
- Walking onions/Egyptian onions
- Horseradish (main root harvest)
- Daylily (tubers edible)
- Oca (marginal – needs heavy mulch protection)
Proven Full-Seven-Layer Guild Examples for Zone 6a
These are practical, widely recommended temperate guilds. Start with one guild per main tree, expand outward.
1. Apple-Centric Guild (most common and productive in zone 6a):
- Canopy: Standard or semi-standard apple (e.g., Liberty)
- Understory: Dwarf pear or serviceberry
- Shrub: Currant/gooseberry + honeyberry
- Herbaceous: Comfrey, yarrow, chives, bee balm, rhubarb
- Ground Cover: Strawberries + white clover
- Vine: Hardy grape or kiwi (trained up trunk/nearby support)
- Root: Garlic/walking onions + Jerusalem artichoke (outer edge)
2. Pawpaw Woodland-Edge Guild (great for partial shade):
- Canopy/Understory: Pawpaw (multi-stem cluster)
- Shrub: Elderberry + aronia
- Herbaceous: Ramps, lovage, sorrel, ostrich fern (edible fiddleheads)
- Ground Cover: Wild ginger or strawberries
- Vine: Maypop or groundnut
- Root: Groundnut tubers + horseradish (edge)
3. Mulberry/Nut Tree Guild (high-calorie focus):
- Canopy: Mulberry or chestnut
- Understory: Hazelnut
- Shrub: Goumi (if not invasive locally) or currant
- Herbaceous: Comfrey, anise hyssop, oregano
- Ground Cover: Creeping thyme + clover
- Vine: Grape
- Root: Sunchoke + skirret (from Wikipedia: Sium sisarum, commonly known as skirret, is a perennial plant of the family Apiaceae in the same family as carrots and parsnip. Skirret is grown as a root vegetable. The English name skirret is derived from the Middle English 'skirwhit' or 'skirwort', meaning 'white root'. Skirret has a cluster of bright white, sweetish, somewhat aromatic roots, each approximately 15–20 centimetres (6–8 in) in length. These are used as a vegetable in the same manner as the common salsify, black salsify and the parsnip).
4. Cherry / Plum Guild (stone fruit emphasis):
- Canopy: Tart cherry or hardy plum
- Understory: Cornelian cherry
- Shrub: Raspberry/blackberry
- Herbaceous: Horseradish, dill, yarrow
- Ground Cover: Alpine strawberries
- Vine: Hops or hardy kiwi
- Root: Garlic + daylily tubers
Zone 6a-Specific Tips
- Prioritize late-blooming varieties to avoid spring frosts (e.g., late apples/pears).
- Include nitrogen-fixers (clover, goumi, Siberian pea shrub, alder if wet).
- Mulch heavily (wood chips, comfrey chop-and-drop) for winter protection.
- Plant densely but allow light penetration—prune canopy trees for dappled shade.
- Native plants (pawpaw, persimmon, serviceberry, groundnut) boost ecology and resilience.
- Test soil pH (many fruits like 6.0–7.0); add amendments early.
This draws from established temperate permaculture sources (e.g., Midwest Permaculture guilds, cold-hardy lists, zone 5–7 examples). For your exact microclimate/soil, consult local extension services or nurseries specializing in hardy edibles. Start with 1–3 guilds—you'll have full production in 4–7 years!
