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Edible Fruits from Ornamental Plants

© Connie Krochmal

The late spring and summer provide a rich array of edible fruits and berries. Some of these are found on rather unconventional plants, ones that we grow for their landscape value. Barberry is an example, and was the subject of a previous article. However, a number of other ornamentals yield edible fruits.

A great place to start is with the fuchsia. Widely grown in the Northwest as a shrub, this is used elsewhere in the U.S. as a hanging basket plant. Some cultivars of fuchsias produce berries. These usually ripen to deep purple. Once they develop their full color, these berry-like fruits are edible. Typically, these are eaten fresh. They're very juicy with a mild flavor. Fuchsia fruits are a great choice for adding to fruit bowls and the like. Be careful when serving these fruits, for they can easily stain tablecloths, napkins, and even plastic dishes and serving bowls.

Large landscapes have ample room for mulberry trees. There are several species of these plants. In addition to the black mulberry, introduced from Europe, and the white mulberry from Asia, there are native species in North America. The fruits resemble large berries.

Mountain ash trees produce large numbers of edible berries. Some species are native to North America, while others, such as the rowan tree, are introduced species. These are usually made into jams, jellies, and similar preserved items.

Though the manzanitas are native species, they make excellent garden plants. They are most popular in the western states. These evergreens can be either trees or shrubs, and are represented by over 60 species. Some of the low growing kinds are used as ground covers. These reddish-brown berries respond well to freezing.

In the South, pyracantha is often used for espalier. Typically, it is used as a specimen plant and as a barrier hedge. During the fall months, the clusters of berries will ripen to a rich orange or red. Like those from the fuchsia, these are edible. However, one needs to be careful when picking pyracantha fruits. These plants have vicious thorns that can really hurt. I like to wear thick, spineproof gloves when I'm working with these shrubs.

Usually the mayhaw trees are wild or naturalized. However, they are sometimes cultivated as well. The fruits are especially popular in the South where mayhaw jelly is very much in demand. Mayhaws are much loved by children in particular. These species are related to the hawthorns. They ripen during the summer before the usual apples, pears, and plums are ready for harvest.