The Rural Voice, 2019-05, Page 45about it and when I went back to
check on the name of shrub, I could
not find the posting. Wow there is a
lot of postings on Facebook!
I think most gardeners are well
aware of using native species in their
gardens for the sake of the birds,
butterflies and pollinators. We are
also open to new plants and have to
balance both what we want visually
in our gardens and how we want our
gardens to be an integral part of the
larger environment.
Researching a plant before the
purchase is a balancing act. I find my
plant purchases are spontaneous and
then there is the wandering around
the garden for a spot while checking
more info about the plant from more
sources than the tag.
We planted out four acres of
mixed native trees last year. I noticed
a sale on Korean Pine Nut trees and
after checking with our local tree
expert, we purchased 25 wee trees.
The tree is similar to our white pine
and will withstand a Zone 2 climate.
They like well-drained soil and will
take semi-shaded light. Which is
great in a forested area. Not
considered invasive, the first five
years show very slow growth and
then they bolt reaching 30 feet at
maturity.
They are self-fertilizing so we
don’t need to look for more varieties
to cross-pollinate with them. The
kernels or nuts are the size of regular
pistachio nuts and are located at the
base of the scales of the cones they
produce. They are used in salads and
in pesto.
So this all sounds great. I can
picture them now along the lane.
Further research has disclosed they
need to be in semi shade when
starting out. So planting in the young
woodlot will not give them the
shelter they need so we are already
devising a large nursery area where
we can offer that shade shelter.
Oh yeah we won’t get a harvest
for 10 to 20 years. So this crop is
certainly for the ones who come after
us. I don’t think this plant will be
considered invasive and I think the
ever-growing red squirrel population
here will be forever grateful. ◊
May 2019 41
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