21 Best Plants for a Food Forest

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A thriving food forest is a paradise of edible plants, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem that produces an abundance of fresh fruits, nuts, herbs, and vegetables. Whether you’re designing a backyard food forest or starting a large-scale permaculture project, selecting the right plants for a food forest is key to long-term success.

From nitrogen-fixing trees to perennial vegetables and fruit-bearing shrubs, every plant plays a role in building soil fertility, attracting pollinators, and ensuring year-round harvests. A well-planned food forest mimics natural ecosystems, reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides while providing a resilient, biodiverse environment.

Choosing the best plants for a food forest means layering species to maximize space and productivity. Canopy trees like chestnuts and pecans provide shade and structure, while mid-layer fruit trees like apples, plums, and mulberries fill the understory. Beneath them, berry bushes, medicinal herbs, and edible ground covers like strawberries create a lush, interconnected system.

Chestnut Tree

A chestnut tree is an essential element of a food forest, offering a reliable source of nutrient-dense nuts. These trees can live for centuries, creating a long-term canopy that supports wildlife and companion plants. Chestnuts are packed with carbohydrates, making them a valuable staple crop. They also produce abundant leaf litter, enriching the soil over time. Once established, they require minimal maintenance and can withstand various climates.

Produces high-energy nuts suitable for human and animal consumption
Provides deep shade and organic matter for the forest floor
Supports biodiversity by attracting pollinators and beneficial insects

Mulberry Tree

Mulberry trees are known for their rapid growth, high yields, and ability to thrive in diverse conditions. Their fruit ranges in color from deep purple to red and white, providing a sweet and nutritious snack. These trees attract birds, which help with natural pest control, while their fallen fruit nourishes the soil. Their deep roots access nutrients beyond the reach of smaller plants, contributing to the overall health of the ecosystem.

Produces berries that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins
Acts as a windbreak and shade provider in a food forest
Tolerates poor soil conditions and adapts to various environments

Hazelnut Shrubs

Hazelnuts are excellent for smaller food forests due to their compact size and high productivity. The shrubs provide a steady supply of protein-rich nuts while also acting as a living hedge or wind barrier. Their dense growth habit offers shelter for birds and beneficial insects. They are adaptable to various climates and can be grown alongside nitrogen-fixing plants to enhance soil fertility.

Offers an annual harvest of high-fat, nutritious nuts
Functions as a natural privacy screen and windbreak
Can be grown in clusters to create productive hedgerows

Persimmon Tree

Persimmon trees bring a unique, honey-like sweetness to a food forest with their late-season fruit. Their glossy green leaves and striking orange fruits add visual appeal while providing essential nutrients. Native varieties are highly resilient, withstanding drought and poor soil conditions. The deep taproot helps stabilize the soil, while the fruit attracts wildlife, contributing to a balanced ecosystem.

Produces vitamin-rich fruit in late autumn
Thrives with minimal care and resists most pests and diseases
Supports pollinators with small, fragrant flowers in spring

Elderberry Bush

Elderberry bushes are an essential addition to a food forest, offering medicinal and culinary benefits. The berries are packed with immune-boosting properties and can be used in syrups, teas, and preserves. The plants grow quickly, forming dense thickets that provide habitat for wildlife. Their white spring blossoms attract pollinators, making them a valuable companion for other fruiting plants.

Produces berries with medicinal and culinary uses
Grows rapidly and provides natural privacy
Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects

Pawpaw Tree

Pawpaw trees are a hidden gem in food forestry, producing large, custard-like fruits with a tropical flavor. Despite their exotic taste, they thrive in temperate climates, making them an excellent addition to diverse ecosystems. Their large leaves create a lush, shaded understory where other plants can flourish. They also attract zebra swallowtail butterflies, adding ecological value to the food forest.

Provides creamy, banana-mango flavored fruit
Grows well in partial shade, supporting multi-layered forest designs
Attracts beneficial insects and native pollinators

Almond Tree

Almond trees are a rewarding choice for food forests in dry, warm climates. Their delicate pink and white blossoms in early spring provide a feast for pollinators before the trees produce protein-rich nuts. They require well-drained soil and minimal water once established, making them ideal for drought-prone regions. Their spreading canopy offers light shade, benefiting understory plants.

Produces nutritious, high-protein nuts
Provides early-season nectar for bees and pollinators
Tolerates dry conditions and poor soil once established

Honey Locust Tree

Honey locust trees are valued in food forests for their ability to improve soil quality. Their deep roots fix nitrogen, benefiting surrounding plants while stabilizing the land. The tree’s delicate, fern-like leaves allow filtered sunlight to reach the understory, encouraging diverse plant growth. Their seed pods provide a food source for wildlife and livestock.

Improves soil fertility with nitrogen-fixing properties
Provides dappled shade that supports understory growth
Produces edible pods that can be used for animal fodder

Black Walnut Tree

Black walnut trees are a long-term investment in a food forest, providing a rich source of edible nuts. Their strong, durable wood and deep root system make them resilient in various environments. However, they produce juglone, a natural compound that inhibits the growth of some plants, so companion selection is essential. With proper planning, they become a highly productive element of the forest ecosystem.

Produces nutrient-rich nuts with high oil content
Creates a strong root system that helps prevent soil erosion
Requires careful companion planting due to juglone production

Wild Blackberry Brambles

Blackberries are a vigorous addition to a food forest, thriving with little maintenance. Their sprawling canes produce an abundance of sweet, tart berries packed with antioxidants. They also serve as natural barriers, deterring unwanted visitors while providing shelter for small wildlife. Regular pruning encourages higher yields and prevents excessive spreading.

Provides antioxidant-rich berries each summer
Forms natural, protective hedges for wildlife and privacy
Requires minimal care and thrives in diverse climates

Goji Berry Shrubs

Goji berries add a vibrant pop of red to a food forest while offering powerful health benefits. These drought-tolerant plants flourish in challenging conditions, making them a resilient choice. Their long, arching branches produce clusters of small, nutrient-dense berries. They require well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight for optimal growth.

Produces nutrient-dense berries used for teas and dried snacks
Adapts well to arid and poor soil conditions
Attracts pollinators with small, star-shaped flowers

Raspberry Canes

Raspberries are an essential soft fruit crop for food forests, offering a steady supply of sweet, juicy berries. Their spreading nature helps create natural hedgerows that define spaces within the landscape. They require regular pruning but reward growers with generous harvests. Their shallow roots improve soil structure and aeration.

Produces high-yielding berry harvests each season
Spreads naturally to form productive hedgerows
Attracts bees and butterflies with fragrant blossoms

Blueberry Bushes

Blueberry bushes contribute beauty and productivity to a food forest, with vibrant foliage and nutrient-rich berries. They require acidic soil and thrive when planted alongside other acid-loving plants. Their small, bell-shaped flowers attract pollinators, ensuring a bountiful harvest. In autumn, their leaves turn brilliant shades of red, adding seasonal interest.

Provides antioxidant-rich berries with high nutritional value
Requires acidic soil and benefits from companion planting
Displays stunning red foliage in fall

Strawberry Ground Cover

Strawberries make an excellent ground cover in a food forest, suppressing weeds while producing delicious fruit. Their spreading habit fills gaps between larger plants, maximizing available space. Their white blossoms in spring give way to red berries, creating a visually appealing and productive layer. They thrive in both sun and partial shade.

Suppresses weeds while producing edible fruit
Spreads easily, filling gaps between larger plants
Thrives in diverse light conditions

Jerusalem Artichoke Patch

Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, are a hardy and prolific root crop. These tall sunflower-like plants produce edible tubers that thrive in poor soil and require minimal maintenance. Their bright yellow flowers attract pollinators, while their underground tubers store well for winter use. Once established, they spread vigorously, making them a reliable food source in a permaculture system.

Produces nutrient-dense tubers rich in prebiotic fiber
Attracts pollinators with bright yellow flowers
Thrives in poor soil and withstands cold temperatures

Comfrey Patch

Comfrey is a powerhouse plant in food forests, acting as a living mulch and natural fertilizer. Its deep taproots draw nutrients from the subsoil, making its leaves an excellent addition to compost or mulch layers. The purple flowers attract bees, supporting pollination for surrounding crops. While not typically grown for consumption, its medicinal properties make it a valuable herb to include.

Functions as a nutrient accumulator, enriching the soil
Produces fast-growing leaves ideal for mulching
Attracts pollinators with clusters of purple flowers

Apple Tree with Companion Plants

Apple trees are a classic choice for food forests, offering diverse fruit varieties suited to different climates. They integrate well into multi-layered ecosystems, benefiting from companion plants like comfrey, clover, and nitrogen-fixing shrubs. The blossoms in spring provide nectar for bees, ensuring pollination for a productive harvest. Apples store well, extending their usefulness beyond the growing season.

Produces a variety of apples with different flavors and uses
Attracts bees and pollinators with fragrant spring blossoms
Benefits from guild planting with companion species

Chicory with Sky-Blue Flowers

Chicory is a valuable addition to a food forest, offering both edible leaves and medicinal roots. Its tall, slender stalks produce striking blue flowers that attract beneficial insects. The deep root system improves soil structure and draws up essential nutrients. It thrives in neglected areas, making it a great choice for food forests with varied terrain.

Provides edible leaves and roots for culinary and medicinal use
Improves soil health by breaking up compacted ground
Attracts pollinators with its vibrant blue flowers

Clover as a Living Ground Cover

Clover is one of the best natural ground covers for a food forest, enhancing soil fertility while suppressing weeds. Its ability to fix nitrogen benefits surrounding plants, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. The small flowers attract bees and other pollinators, supporting biodiversity. Clover spreads quickly, forming a dense, resilient carpet of greenery.

Fixes nitrogen, improving soil fertility
Suppresses weeds while creating a soft, walkable ground cover
Provides nectar for bees and beneficial insects

Diverse Polyculture with Edible Perennials

A thriving food forest thrives on diversity, and planting a mix of edible perennials ensures year-round abundance. Combining fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs, and root crops creates a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem. By mimicking natural forests, these systems require minimal human intervention while producing an abundance of food. Strategic layering ensures that each plant plays a role in soil improvement, pest control, or food production.

Supports biodiversity and natural pest control
Maximizes space with multi-layered planting techniques
Provides a continuous supply of food throughout the year