abundance

marshmallow and comfrey- 2 favorite edible perennial herbs in my wpg. garden.
What is edible for humans that can be grown on Denman Island.
Due to climate change, and rampant population growth, food will soon be at a premium. Growing our own will make us less reliant on a turbulent world food and transportation market.
The following is a partial list of what we can grow on the island. I have tried to divide it into sensible groupings, but many items will fit more than one list. You may indeed find some of them listed more than once. It just means that plant is quite useful.
Food Trees, woody vines and shrubs:
Apples fresh from the tree from august through January[winter banana] and some keep till April or may; pears; plums- from damson through greengage, prune plum, wild American and European plums, pluots [a cross between an apricot and a plum] and many more; cherries- sweet and sour, bush and tree, including all the wild cherries and cherry x plums; medlars-a neat late fall fruit that needs to be bletted to be eaten; quince-which must be cooked for eating; high bush cranberry; raspberry, blackberry, tayberry, marionberry, etc..; filberts and hazelnut which are very happy here; Persian and black walnut are for the patient or those lucky enough to have inherited a tree; butternut, heartnut, buartnut, etc.; Chinese chestnut; oaks[acorns]; persimmons- both native American and Asian; mulberries- red, black and white; edible honeysuckle which is also known as honeyberry and????; grapes of many kinds, whose leaves are also edible; kiwi fruit- actinidia chinensis, arguta, and ????; pinenuts[species??]; autumn olive; goumi berries; blue berries; huckleberries; Oregon grape berries; Big leaf maple syrup, spring flower buds are edible; hawthorn berries; rosehips and rose petals are edible and medicinal; gooseberries; red, white and black currants; figs; Bay leaves are used as an herb; some of the passion fruit can be grown here, in an unheated greenhouse if not in the open.; olives are very marginal here.; Linden leaves and flowers are edible.; Hops flowers can be used in beer or as an herb in pillows for sleep aid.
Goji berries, aronia, lingonberry, bilberry, elderberry, sea buckthorn, cornelian cherry, cornus kousa[Japanese flowering dogwood], Japanese wineberries, berberis species-barberries, The Japanese Banana, Musa Basjoo and Musa Sikkimensis, or Musa Hookerii as it is sometimes called, are undoubtedly the hardiest and most suitable for gardens in the U.K. Frosts will still cut all of their top growth down without protection, but their roots will happily stand 5 degrees of frost and if planted deep, with a very good mulch on top, may withstand temperatures down to minus 20 degrees centigrade. Provided conditions are good, their top growth will quickly be replaced each year.
Then there are the cold hardy citrus- calamondin orange- citrofortunella, citrus aurantium- seville orange, Trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata] hardy to -30, used for marmalade, for hybridization or as rootstock,
Ichang papeda (Citrus ichangensis) hardy to -15C and Parent to a number of hybrids, including the yuzu, sudachi, ichang lemon/shangjuan, and others. It also must be made into marmalade to eat. Jiouyuezao mandarin (Citrus reticulata 'Jiouyuezao') is hardy to -13C and edible. Changsha mandarin[citrus reticulata] is edible but seedy and hardy to minus 11C. The Satsuma [also citrus reticulata is hardy to -10C and rated excellent for edibility. The kumquat [citrus japonica] is hardy to -12C and has a sweet skin and sour flesh, supposedly edible. Some of these we do not have access to trees of as yet. I know at least one local permaculture nursery that is working on it. We can also buy some of these fruits in the store and plant seeds from them. There are also the Interspecific hybrids. One is citrandin [citrus reticulata x poncirus trifoliata which is hardy to -18C and considered semi-edible[more marmalade :D]. Changsha is the hardiest citrandin. The citrange{citrus x sinensis x poncirus trifoliata]is also semi-edible and hardy to -15C. Rusk is the most edible citrange. Hardy also to -15C and edible is the citrangequat. Thomasville is the most edible one. The yuzu [citrus ichangensis x citrus reticulata] is hardy to -12C and used in cooking. There are many Japanese cultivars. The orangequat may survive a sheltered location, and would be great in an unheated greenhouse. It is hardy to -9C and edible. Nippon is a varietal favoured for both hardiness and edibility.

Animal foods:
Cattle produce beef and milk products; goats produce meat, dairy, and sometimes spinning fibres; Sheep produce wool, meat and sometimes dairy; rabbits can produce meat, hides and sometimes spinning fibres; chickens for eggs and meat; some ducks are raised for meat, others for eggs. All can be plucked for down. Khaki Campbell's produce eggs as well as, or better than most chickens.; geese, guinea fowl, and pigeons are usually raised for meat and sometimes feathers or down; Bees give us wax, pollen royal jelly and more, and then there's honey!; Llamas are eaten in their homeland, and produce a nice spinning fibre; from the wild we get venison, waterfowl, and seafood of all kinds- clams, oysters, mussels, salmon, herring, smelt, and much more
Grains:
Wheat of all kinds- winter, spring, hard, soft, Emmer, spelt, Kamut, ???; Barley both for flour or pearl and for malting. Malt can be used as a sugar substitute as well as for beer of course.; Oats; Rye is an overwintering grain often used as a green manure but also makes a great dense sourdough bread. There are plenty of wild yeasts around if we run out of processed yeasts.; triticale is a triploid cross of wheat and rye; Quinoa is a small grain that gives complete protein. Redroot pigweed is a relative and yields grain from it's seed heads; Amaranth is another small grain from south America. Any of the ornamental or "weedy" amaranths can be harvested for grain once much of the seed is ripe. Like quinoa, some seed will be falling out while the tip of the flower head is still blooming.; Millet will grow here; buckwheat is like amaranth in it's ripening; corn can be grown for flour; flax is edible and can be grown for fibre; sorghum might be worth a try;
Vegetables:
Asparagus, beets, beans of amazing variety- green, yellow, multi-coloured, snap or dry, bush, or pole, broad, scarlet runner and more; corn, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, sprouting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, rapini, kale, collards, mustard greens and seeds, Swiss chard, arugula, Mache, a wide array of Chinese greens, artichokes, Jerusalem artichokes, crambe cordifolia and maritima, horseradish, radishes, turnips, rutabagas, skirret, salsify, schozonera, onions, garlic, shallots, welsh onions, Egyptian walking onions, multiplier onions, potatoes, parsnips, peas grow very well, Broad beans love our spring, leeks, celery, lettuces, rhubarb, strawberries, okra, new Zealand spinach, cape gooseberry/ground cherry/Cossack pineapple
All the following do better with some heat retention and/or plastic tenting for heat and for disease reduction. They will probably produce without it, but are better with.- tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash-summer and winter as well as those designated as pumpkins, muskmelons, watermelon, cantaloupe
Ornamentals that have edible parts:
Daylilies- hemerocallis fulva has edible flowers, flower buds, spring greens, and roots. All daylily flowers are edible but yellows and oranges are supposed to be better tasting.; sunflower seeds, petals and flower buds are edible; poppy seeds are familiar to many; calendula flowers and leaves are edible in salads or cooked. They are also gently medicinal; Another medicinal and edible ornamental is the violet. Both leaves and flowers are edible. Pansies and viola's are more highly bred versions of violets. Don't overuse these medicinals as food. Use as an accent rather than as the main part of the salad or dish.; hollyhock, and any mallow, leaves and flowers are also edible, as well as the "cheeses"[ another name for the green seed heads]; Primula flowers and leaves can be eaten; English daisies are also edible; nasturtium flowers, and leaves are used in salads and the pickled seedpods are a capers substitute.; The flower petals of the lemon and tangerine gem marigolds are edible; the flowers of most campanulas [one species of many commonly called bluebells] are edible. Rampion [campanula rampunculoides, AKA Winnipeg blue bells] have edible roots, spring greens, and flowers. Too bad they are so aggressive[ or is it :P].; perennial phlox flowers are considered edible.; chrysanthemum daisies have edible flowers and leaves. These are also known as Shasta's, oxeye daisies and one called shungiku greens.; Sweet William and related dianthus species flowers can be eaten or used to flavour beverages.; fuchsia fruit can be eaten; sweet dames rockets flowers and young leaves are also edible; many more ornamentals are listed under herbs or woodies.

Herbs- some of these can be eaten as vegetables[ I use handfuls of many of these in my salads], some are woodies, and many are grown as ornamentals, but we most commonly think of them as herbs. Medicinal herbs can be harmful in very large quantities, Just as most allopathic medicines are poisonous in large doses. However, most medicinal herbs will strengthen your body if consumed regularly in small amounts. For a good discussion on herb safety and government control of them for financial gain of the few, please check out http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/comfrey.html read the entire piece and then decide for yourself as to the safety of comfrey as a food or medicinal. Always know what you are eating, and why it is or isn't safe, so that you may make your own decisions and retain control of your diet, health and life. Government information is heavily biased in favour of corporate control of our diet, health and monetary choices. Corporations can afford lobbyists. Government listens to lobbyists before they listen to the electorate. Governments have stopped doing their own testing, somehow believing that corporations will test for our greatest good. Remember that corporations only controlling motive is profit. Get informed. :
Anise hyssop- leaves and flowers can be used in salads or teas; bee balm- monarda dydima, Oswego tea, bergamot- they're all the same plant. Leaves and flowers for tea or salad. The florets are medicinal for migraine.; lovage- amazing strong celery-ish flavour from a burly perennial. Leaves and stalks are cooked or used sparingly in salads. This is an acquired taste. I now use lots of it in my spring greens mixes and love the flavour. However, Too much of this diuretic herb isn't a good thing.; Most mints are great in salads and teas.; Lemon balm can also be added by handfuls to cooking greens or salads. A mixture of many strong flavoured greens and herbs in your salads gives a fresh clear, sharp and enjoyable flavour to your salad. It also means you are getting vitamins and micronutrients that your body needs.; English, German, winter, and lemon thyme are all great with meat and vegetables, as well as in teas and salads; Sage [salvia officinalis] is a tough herb for use in cooking, teas, and, finely chopped, in salads.; rosemary; lavender leaves and flowers can be used in teas, desserts, French cooking, and salads . The flowers of most of these herbs can be eaten.; Winter and summer savoury both grow here; dill and fennel will cross pollinate which makes me wonder why we name them so differently in Latin nomenclature. Leaves, flowers and seeds are all used.; Basil is another heat lover we can grow; Oregano and marjoram will self seed here. Leaves and flowers can be used in cooking, salads and teas.; Coriander is what we call the seed, and cilantro is the leaf, but they're all the same annual self seeder.; feverfew is a very bitter herb used for migraines, but people add it very sparingly to meat dishes and salads.; Comfrey is controlled as a medicinal, but we can still eat it without the, oh so sincere, governmental concern. Use finely chopped leaves or flowers in salads, with cooked greens, or in tea.; yarrow leaves and flowers are used in salads and teas; young alfalfa leaves can be used sparingly in salads, teas or as cooked greens. All foods should be eaten in moderation, because they can be harmful in too large doses. Just eat a wide enough variety so that this is possible.; chamomile makes a nice relaxing tea; chives and garlic chives are wonderful in salads, and gently cooked.; Angelica leaves are pungent but nice in teas and salads.; borage leaves and flowers supposedly taste like cucumber.; salad burnet is also supposedly cuke flavoured.; caraway roots, leaves and seeds are edible.; catnip leaves and flowers make a nice tea or salad addition.; chervil is a light flavour for salads, omelettes or soups.; Sorrel grows well here, and makes a nice spring soup or salad addition.;
still more to come on water plants and wildlings/"weeds" at some point I'll try to post the same on medicinal herbs, dye plants and the like. :D need to get a voicetyping program :D