Woodland Edge Guild

A diverse guild designed to thrive at the interface between forest and open land. Includes plants that benefit from partial shade and protection from afternoon sun.

Food and Habitat Soil: Forest Loam Light: Partial Shade Water: Moderate
Guild Ratings
7/10
9/10
10/10
9/10

Tree

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

Small native tree with large, tropical-like fruits. Grows well in partial shade and moist soil.

Native: Yes
Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9
Light Requirement: Partial Shade
Water Requirement: Moderate
Soil pH Range: 5.5 - 7.0
Plant Size: 20.0' tall × 15.0' wide
Planting Season: April - May
Harvest Season: September - October

Shrub

Serviceberry

Amelanchier spp.

Multi-stemmed shrub or small tree with edible berries in early summer. Also known as Juneberry.

Native: Yes
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9
Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Requirement: Moderate
Soil pH Range: 5.5 - 7.5
Plant Size: 15.0' tall × 10.0' wide
Planting Season: March - April
Harvest Season: June - July

Vegetable

Ramps

Allium tricoccum

Native wild leek with garlicky flavor. Slow-growing woodland plant that prefers shade.

Native: Yes
Hardiness Zone: 3 - 7
Light Requirement: Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Requirement: Moderate
Soil pH Range: 5.5 - 7.0
Plant Size: 1.0' tall × 0.5' wide
Planting Season: September - October
Harvest Season: April - May

Groundcover

Wild Strawberry

Fragaria virginiana

Native groundcover that produces small, intensely flavored berries. Good erosion control.

Native: Yes
Hardiness Zone: 3 - 9
Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Requirement: Moderate
Soil pH Range: 5.5 - 7.0
Plant Size: 0.5' tall × 1.5' wide
Planting Season: March - April
Harvest Season: May - June

Recommended Planting Instructions

No detailed planting instructions are available for this guild yet.

Planting Calendar

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring Planting (3 plants)
  • Pawpaw April - May
    Tree
  • Serviceberry March - April
    Shrub
  • Wild Strawberry March - April
    Groundcover
Fall Planting (1 plants)
  • Ramps September - October
    Vegetable

Harvest Calendar

Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring Harvest (2 plants)
  • Ramps April - May
    Vegetable
  • Wild Strawberry May - June
    Groundcover
Summer Harvest (2 plants)
  • Serviceberry June - July
    Shrub
  • Wild Strawberry May - June
    Groundcover
Fall Harvest (1 plants)
  • Pawpaw September - October
    Tree

Monthly Activity Calendar

Plant Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Pawpaw P P H H
Serviceberry P P H H
Ramps H H P P
Wild Strawberry P P H H
P = Planting Time H = Harvest Time
Wild Berry Cobbler
Difficulty: Medium Serves: 8 Season: Summer

A rustic dessert featuring seasonal berries. The perfect way to showcase the fruits of your berry guild.

Ingredients from this Guild:
  • Serviceberry
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix berries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
3. Pour into a baking dish.
4. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt for the topping.
5. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Add milk to form a soft dough.
7. Drop spoonfuls of dough over the berries.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
9. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Pawpaw Ice Cream
Difficulty: Medium Serves: 8 Season: Fall

A creamy, tropical-flavored ice cream made with native pawpaw fruits. A unique dessert showcasing this underutilized native fruit.

Ingredients from this Guild:
  • Pawpaw
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Instructions:

1. Scoop pulp from ripe pawpaws and remove seeds.
2. Puree pawpaw pulp until smooth.
3. In a saucepan, heat milk, cream, and sugar until sugar dissolves.
4. Allow mixture to cool, then stir in pawpaw puree and vanilla extract.
5. Chill thoroughly in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
6. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
7. Transfer to a container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
8. Serve with fresh berries or a drizzle of honey.