Table Of ContentECOLOGY / PERMACULTURE
RECONNECT. RESTORE. RECIPROCATE.
REPAIRING LANDSCAPES AND RECONNECTING US TO
LOCAL WILD PLANT COMMUNITIES.
A brilliant approach to ecological restoration simultaneous with food production!
— MARK SHEPARD, author, Restoration Agriculture
An uncommonly thorough reference book, a primer on plant ecology, restoration biology,
and the medicinal and edible properties of Mid-Atlantic plants.... Much more than that, it is
thought-provoking, aspirational and the first chapter alone is worth the price of the book.
— DOUG TALLAMY, author, Bringing Nature Home
INTEGRATING RESTORATION PRACTICES, foraging, herbalism, rewilding, and permaculture,
Wild Plant Culture is a comprehensive guide to the ecological restoration of native edible and
medicinal plant communities in eastern North America.
Blending science, practice, and traditional knowledge to repair both degraded landscapes and
our broken cultural relationship with nature, coverage includes:
• Mutually beneficial human-plant connections
• Observing the land’s existing and potential plant communities
• Site preparation, seeding, planting, and maintaining restored areas
• Compelling stories of wild plant communities and restoration projects
• Detailed profiles of over 200 native plants and their edible and medicinal uses.
Both a practical guide and an evocative read that will transport you deep into the natural land-
scape, Wild Plant Culture is an essential toolkit for gardeners, farmers, and ecological restoration
practitioners, highlighting the important role humans play in tending and mending native plant
communities.
This guidebook holds one of many pathways to healing the ecological wounds of colonialism.
— SAM THAYER, author, The Forager’s Harvest
A cornucopia of useful information, from soils and land use history to plant inventories and their
invaluable uses, and the tools to help you learn more.
— KELLY KINDSCHER, ethnobotanist, University of Kansas, author, Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie
Jared Rosenbaum is a botanist, ecological restoration practitioner, and co-founder of
Wild Ridge Plants, a native plant nursery and consulting business in Alpha, New Jersey.
He blogs at wildplantculture.com.
Praise for Wild Plant Culture
Jared Rosenbaum explains how our yards, farms, and cities can be
optimized for abundance, diversity, and resiliency by the planting of
edible, natural systems. A brilliant approach to ecological restoration
simultaneous with food production!
— Mark Shepard, author,
Restoration Agriculture: Real World Permaculture for Farmers
Jared Rosenbaum’s book has arrived at the right time. Understanding
how modern European agriculture is ecologically illiterate is the starting
point to creating respectful, innovative ecosystems restoration worldwide.
Although the plant species in this book are North American, the concepts
Jared describes are globally relevant and eye-opening to anyone new to
this work. Australian ecosystem restoration, known as Bushcare or
Dunecare, have been happening for years. Having worked in this space,
I am in full agreement with Jared’s work.
— Rosemary Morrow, deep green teacher, refugee supporter,
and author, Earth Restorer’s Guide to Permaculture
Jared tempts us to explore a multiplicity of tastes, textures and colors,
locally sourced, tended by human care and at a human scale. This thoroughly
researched and deeply conceived book helps relieve our disconnection
from the natural world, leads to the preservation of irreplaceable plant
communities, and reacquaints us with the singular delectable tastes that
can only be provided by the plants of our native landscapes.
— Gerould Wilhelm, co-author,
Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis
This book will give new sight to the land and plants around you. It is a
cornucopia of useful information, from soils and land use history to plant
inventories and their invaluable uses, the tools to caretake them and the
inspiration to continually seek to learn more.
— Kelly Kindscher, ethnobotanist, University of Kansas,
author, Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie
Rosenbaum’s work is an uncommonly thorough reference book, a
primer on plant ecology, restoration biology, and the medicinal and
edible properties of the Mid-Atlantic plants from his region. Much more
than that, it is thought-provoking, aspirational and the first chapter
alone is worth the price of the book. Jared is taking a risk here. He is
hoping that we are smart enough to recognize and act on the wisdom
clearly outlined in these pages. I trust that he is right.
— Doug Tallamy, entomologist, ecologist, conservationist,
and author of several books, including Bringing Nature Home
This gorgeous and well-researched book is a delightful must-read for any
person interested in restoration of native habitats in cities and beyond,
the stories the land tells us, and the edible and medicinal uses embodied
in the wild plants around us.
— Dr. Lena Struwe, director, Chrysler Herbarium, Rutgers University
Jared Rosenbaum explores the fascinating connections between people
and their natural environments. It is a well crafted and important work
for anyone who seeks to serve them both.
— Larry Weaner, Larry Weaner Landscape Associates
This guidebook holds one of many pathways to healing the
ecological wounds of colonialism. Rosenbaum outlines a practice
that is both revolutionary and ancient: tending native plant
communities for the simultaneous benefits of human welfare and
wildness. Drawing from his deep knowledge of plant ecology
and restoration, Jared points us towards long-term, fulfilling
relationships with the natural communities we are entrusted
to care for. This message could not be more timely.
— Sam Thayer, author, The Forager’s Harvest
Copyright © 2023 by Jared Rosenbaum.
All rights reserved.
Cover design by Diane McIntosh.
Cover Image: © Jared Rosenbaum.
Printed in Canada. First printing October 2022.
Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of Wild Plant Culture
should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below.
To order directly from the publishers, order online at www.newsociety.com
Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to: New Society Publishers
P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada (250) 247-9737
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Title: Wild plant culture : a guide to restoring edible and medicinal
native plant communities / Jared Rosenbaum.
Names: Rosenbaum, Jared, author.
Description: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 2022026662X | Canadiana (ebook)
20220266638 | ISBN 9780865719804 (softcover) | ISBN
9781550927733 (PDF) | ISBN 9781771423694 (EPUB)
Subjects: LCSH: Restoration ecology—Canada, Eastern. | LCSH:
Restoration ecology—East (U.S.) | LCSH: Wild plants, Edible—
Canada, Eastern. | LCSH: Wild plants, Edible—East (U.S.) | LCSH:
Medicinal plants—Canada, Eastern. | LCSH: Medicinal plants—East
(U.S.) | LCSH: Human ecology.
Classification: LCC QK98.5.N6 R67 2022 | DDC 581.6/3—dc23
New Society Publishers’ mission is to publish books that contribute in
fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society,
and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a
manner that models this vision.
Contents
Acknowledgments ......................................................................................... ix
Section One: Restoring Reciprocity, Sustaining Sustenance ............ 1
Introduction ................................................................................................... 2
The Farmer’s Quandary .................................................................... 3
Two Human Paths ............................................................................. 4
Who Is This Book For? ...................................................................... 5
Chapter 1: A Different Way .......................................................................... 7
Tending the Wild................................................................................ 9
Eat Local .............................................................................................. 13
Chapter 2: Plants in Relationship ................................................................. 15
Plant Planet ......................................................................................... 16
Carbon and Soils ............................................................................ 16
Temperature and Water ............................................................... 17
Wild Plants as Food ........................................................................... 19
Wild Plants as Medicine .................................................................... 20
Chapter 3: Ecological Restoration ............................................................... 23
Mimesis and the Reference Ecosystem .......................................... 23
Restoring Plants ................................................................................. 24
v
vi WILD PLANT CULTURE
Chapter 4: In Community with Nature ....................................................... 28
Communities ...................................................................................... 29
Belonging to an Ecological Community ......................................... 30
Section Two: Learning Your Land ............................................................ 33
Chapter 5: Reading Geology, Soils, and Water ........................................... 36
Soils and Geology ............................................................................... 36
Water .................................................................................................... 37
Plants and Hydrology .................................................................... 39
Chapter 6: Land Use History ........................................................................ 41
Land Use History and Habitat Quality ........................................... 43
Post-Agricultural Soils .................................................................. 43
Natural Disturbances ........................................................................ 48
Chapter 7: Reading the Story of the Land .................................................. 51
Historical Aerial Photos and Maps ............................................. 54
Analyzing the Landscape .................................................................. 55
Indicators of a Remnant ............................................................... 55
Indicators of Disturbed Habitats ................................................ 57
Making Your Own Map ..................................................................... 60
Tend or Mend ..................................................................................... 61
High-Quality Sites → Tend .......................................................... 63
Low-Quality Sites → Mend .......................................................... 64
Section Three: Plant Communities and Culturally Useful Plants ..... 65
Chapter 8: Plant Communities .................................................................... 67
Plant Community: Riparian Forests ............................................... 69
Plant Community: Rich Mesic Forest ............................................. 72
Plant Community: Upland Oak Forest ........................................... 76
Plant Community: Glades ................................................................ 78
Plant Community: Meadows and Grasslands ............................... 81
Plant Community: Forested Wetlands ........................................... 84
Contents vii
Plant Community: Sunny Wetlands and Shores ........................... 86
Plant Community: High Elevation and Northern Forests .......... 89
Plant Community: Sandy Pine and Oak Forests ........................... 92
Plant Community: The Seashore..................................................... 95
Chapter 9: Plant Species .............................................................................. 99
Section Four: Restoring Your Land ......................................................... 221
Chapter 10: The Reference Site ................................................................... 222
How to Find a Reference Site........................................................... 222
Interpreting a Natural Area for Beginners ..................................... 224
Chapter 11: Repairing Soils ........................................................................... 226
Soil Amendments ............................................................................... 226
Wood Chips .................................................................................... 226
Leaf Compost ................................................................................. 227
Mycorrhizal Fungi .............................................................................. 227
Biochar ............................................................................................ 228
Decompacting Soil ........................................................................ 228
Restoring Landscape Structure ....................................................... 229
Pit and Mound Topography ......................................................... 229
Structural Repair Methods ........................................................... 231
Chapter 12: Vegetation Control ................................................................... 232
Tillage ................................................................................................... 232
Smothering and Solarizing ............................................................... 232
The “Lasagna” Mulching Method .................................................... 233
Herbicides ........................................................................................... 234
Chapter 13: Burning....................................................................................... 238
Indigenous Fire .................................................................................. 239
Transitions .......................................................................................... 239
Ecological Potential ........................................................................... 240
viii WILD PLANT CULTURE
Chapter 14: Deer Management and Exclusion ........................................... 243
Protecting Plantings from White-Tailed Deer .............................. 244
Chapter 15: Introducing Plant Materials ..................................................... 246
Planting ................................................................................................ 246
Seeding ................................................................................................. 248
Post-Seeding Maintenance for Meadows ....................................... 251
Meadow Maintenance ....................................................................... 251
Conclusion: A Missing Link ........................................................................... 252
Belonging to This Place ..................................................................... 253
Appendix — Assessment and Monitoring Techniques .............................. 258
Assessment and Monitoring ............................................................. 258
Baseline Monitoring ...................................................................... 258
Monitoring Methods .......................................................................... 258
Photo Monitoring .......................................................................... 258
Biological Inventories ................................................................... 259
Floristic Quality Assessment ....................................................... 259
Sampling Units ............................................................................... 264
Endnotes ........................................................................................................ 266
Index .......................................................................................................... 282
About the Author .......................................................................................... 293
About New Society Publishers .................................................................... 294
