[Scpg] Best nitrogen-fixing plants for coastal California?

[LBUZZELL at aol.com]

I'd welcome corrections and additions to this list of nitrogen-fixing trees  
and plants that will grow in coastal California.  Permaculturist Geoff  Lawton 
recommends in his new video on how to create a food forest that we plant  
nitrogen-fixers between the fruit and nut trees and then "chop and drop" the  
trimmings around the food trees.  He even recommends planting large trees  but 
keeping them pollarded (radically cut back) so they keep putting out shoots  you 
can use for this purpose.
 
Linda
 
 
NITROGEN-FIXING PLANTS FOR COASTAL CALIFORNIA 
In your food  forest, plant nitrogen-fixing trees and plants between your 
fruit and nut trees,  pruning them (sometimes severely) in a “chop and drop” 
fashion to feed your  food-bearing trees. The plants in bold below grow easily in 
 Santa Barbara. 
Acacia 
Albizia (Silk Tree, Mimosa). Rapid  growth to 40.’ Fluffy pink flowers in 
summer. 
Alder. According to  Western  Sunset  Gardens, Italian Alder and Black  Alder 
will grow in Zone 24 (us). 
Alfalfa 
Beans 
Casuarina equisetifolia (Horsetail  Tree). Fast grower to 40-60 feet. 
Calliandra (Pink Powder Puff) Native to  Bolivia. 
Ceanothus. California native. Shrub and  groundcover forms. 
Clover 
Cycads 
Erythrina (coral tree) berteroana and  poeppigiana 
Glircidia 
Gorse (Ulex europaeus), a native  of Europe, now a serious pest along the 
coasts of  Oregon,  Washington and  California. Gorse forms  impenetrable stands 
due to its dense, thorny growth. 
Gunnera 
Inga Edulis (Ice Cream Bean tree)  Native to riverbanks of Amazon region, so 
needs water.  Tropical. To 60’. Used for shade in  coffee and cacao 
plantations. 
Lab-lab  bean 
Leucaena (Golden Ball Lead Tree). Shrub  or tree. Native to Texas, northern  
Mexico.  12-20’ 
Locust (Robinia) Black Locust, Desert Locust. Fast  growing, adapted to hot, 
dry climate. Clusters of white or pink sweetpea shaped  flowers bloom 
midspring to early summer. Bark, leaves and seeds are poisonous if  ingested. Thorny 
plant. 
Lupin, including Lupinus arboreus, native to California 
Mesquite 
Myrica californica (Pacific Wax  Myrtle). Evergreen shrub or tree. Aromatic 
foliage, plus attractive purplish  fruits attractive to birds. Native to  
California  coast. 
Peanuts 
Peas 
Pongamia. Indian beech tree. Deciduous,  leguminous, drought-tolerant. Showy, 
fragrant pink-white flowers. People are  experimenting with the seed oil as 
feedstock for biodiesel. Plant parts are  toxic if eaten. Many other uses. Oil 
is antiseptic.  
Russian olive (doesn’t do well  here) 
Scot's broom (Cytisus  scoparius), a widespread “pest” plant of the Pacific 
coast where it was  introduced as an ornamental. 
Tagasaste. Small drought-tolerant,  evergreen leguminous shrub 12’ – 15.’ 
Grown in  Australia for  animal fodder as it provides 23 – 27% protein. 
Tamarind. Tropical leguminous tree that  yields date-like fruit. 
Tipuana Tipu. From South  America. 25-40’ tall. Blooms late spring to early 
summer, apricot to  yellow, sweet pea shaped flowers. Dislikes strongly 
alkaline soil. Flowers best  away from ocean influence. 
Vetch 

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