Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and permaculture. I'm working as an assistant for someone more experienced, but we need information on maple guilds... what to include mostly... this is for a landscaping project in SW Virginia. thanks for your help! Ruth
It depends on what you are trying to achieve. Is your project primarily aesthetic or conservation in focus or are you looking to assemble a forest garden type guild? How big is it? Your exact micro-climate will also be a determining factor. From a permaculture point of view here's a few species you might look into. Overstory large trees: Quarcus- Oak species. (look for best acorn or timber production) Carya - Hickory species. (look for best nuts and timber) Castanea - Chestnut species Diospyros - Persimon Juglans - Walnut (nuts and wood) Robinia pseudoacacia - Black locust (Nitrogen fixing, can be weedy, but is said to grow with Black Walnut. Seeds are potentially edible, excellent durability in the ground for fenceposts.) Morus - Mulberry Pyrus communis - Pear Prunus sp - cherry (fruit and wood) Gingko biloba - gingko (species interest/ food/medicine) Shrubs/small trees. Amelanchier- Service berry species Crataegus - Hawthorn (look for more edible/medicinal species.) Asimina triloba - pawpaw Herbs/medicinal plants for understory: Caulophyllum sp.- Blue Cohosh Chamaelirium luteum- False Unicorn Root Cimicifuga racemosa- Black Cohosh Hydrastis canadensis- Goldenseal Panax quinquefolius- American Ginseng Podophyllum peltatum- May-apple Sanguinaria canadensis- Bloodroot (taken from: https://www.aftaweb.org/entserv1.php?page=28) I usually start by researching all the native plants for a region and select the most useful ones as the foundation species in a guild,(You know they are adapted to that region). Then work from there to fill in the gaps with useful species. The basic principle is that you want the trees to be low maintainence and productive in multiple ways if possible, and work together 'symbiotically'. For example: tap rooted trees like Burr Oak next to net rooted species. RESOURCES: WEST VIRGINA NATIVE PLANTS: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rdsduse/wv.htm and: https://www.gasp.athens.oh.us/wvbigtrees.shtml PLANTS FOR A FUTURE is a database of useful plants: https://www.pfaf.org/index.php The Edible Forest Garden Books, especially Volume II, are great resources. https://www.edibleforestgardens.com/ For other ideas see also: https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/ AND https://www.aftaweb.org/entserv1.php?page=3#potential
Wow - great post aaronji - did you have that knowledge in your head or available in reference? I am impresed.
Thanks. Id say its about 50/50. Forgot to add: Glycyrrhiza lepidota - American licorice. (Nitrogen fixing native, flavoring and medicine) Cheers.
I hope you get this "Thank you." I'm new to the forum and had lost my password. I just logged in again and found this great wealth of information. thanx.