Nurse Plants

[opabinia51]

Plants that enrich the soil, modify microclimates and therefore spur the growth of local (and planted) flora are called: NURSE PLANTS.

Acacia: Nonhardy, N fixing trees
Alder: N fixing trees and shrubs
Autumn olive, Russian Olive, goumi: N fixing Shrub, edible berries
Black Locust: N fixing tree
Bladder senra: N fixing shrub
Bush Clover: N fixing shrub
Causuarina: Nonhardy, N fixing tree
Crimson Spot Rock rose: Fast growing shrub
Elderberry: Shrub with Edible Berries
Golden Chain Tree: Small N fixing tree
Hackberry: Drought tolerant shrub
Hybrid Broom: N fixer, Hybrids are not invasive like non hybrids
Mesquite: N fixing, drought tolerant tree


Anyway, the list goes on.

I also wanted to mention the idea of botanical guilds seeing as it sort of fits with the idea of nurse plants.

The guild that I have in my garden turns out to be an old established guild. I plant corn with beans and squash. All three are companion plants and the corn provides a stalk for the bean to grow up, the bean feeds the corn and the squash provides shade under the previous two and helps to keep weeds down. Furthermore, insects coming to pollinate the squash or beans will pollinate the other plant. It's win-win!