These are a few of the trees and shrubs I added to our yard in 2019. All but the bayberries produce edible fruit and provide food and habitat for birds. (A few didn’t make it, but that’s more due to things like the deer eating them before they got big enough, not any issue with the plant itself).
Most were purchased from https://onlinetreefarm.webs.com/. No affiliation, just giving them a note because I had a good experience and would buy from them again.
Saskatoon Serviceberry Tree
This is a large shrub or small tree. Size reports vary. Mature trees can reach up to 15 to 30 feet high by 8 to 15 feet wide.
Plant with 12-18 feet between rows and 3 feet between plants. Roots need at least 24 inches of depth. Doesn’t mind wet feet. Keep young plants well weeded.
Prune only dead, damaged or diseased stems within the first three years. After that, prune to keep the bush open for light and air movement. Replace all the fruiting wood over the course of every 3-4 years. The best fruit production usually occurs on vigorous 2 to 4 year-old stems.
http://saskatoonberryinstitute.org/saskatoons/
https://gardeningwithcharlie.com/grow-serviceberry.html
Northern Bayberry Shrub
Bayberry can grow to 5 to 9 feet high and wide. Keep well weeded as it does not compete well. It is nitrogen fixing so can grow in poor soil. They are deer resistant and slow growing.
The white waxy coating on the berries are used for candle making.
https://www.thespruce.com/bayberry-shrubs-offer-gray-berries-salt-tolerance-2131960
https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_mope6.pdf
American Cranberry Bush
Grows 8′-12′ high and wide. Grows best in well-drained, moist soil with partial shade to full sun. Berries can be used like cranberries.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/viburnum/highbush-cranberry-plants.htm
https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=viopa2
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=932
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=viopa2
Sassafras Tree
Plant in full sun or partial shade. Prefers moist, acidic, well-drained soil. Remove any shoots that develop if you want a single-trunk tree.
Medium to fast growth pace. Mature tree is 30’–60′ tall with a 25’–40′ spread.
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=917
Fragrant ornamental tree. Bark and roots can be used to make sassafras tea.
https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sassafras-Tea
Cherry Plum Tree
Mature tree can reach 25–40 feet tall.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_plum
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/cherry-plum/cherry-plum-information.htm
Purchased from https://rareseeds.com
Dwarf everbearing mulberry.
I bought these in 2018, but planted them in large grow bags, a they were small and the spot I want to plant them was not yet ready. (Still full of poison ivy and weeds). Looks like I might have bought a zone 7 variety. If they made it through this past brutally cold winter I will plant them in the shallow swale on the north side of the house.
(Morus nigra) Morus nigra is a medium size black mulberry. Mature height is six to eight feet in the ground. However, this may not b morus nigra. so, could be up to 15 feet.
https://www.growingmulberry.org/selection
https://growingfruit.org/t/dwarf-everbearing-mulberry-m-nigra/10867/2
https://www.rareseeds.com/mulberry-dwarf-everbearing-2-plants-ships-march-june-/
Western Sand Cherry
Purchased from Marcs (a local discount grocery store).
The western sand cherry shrub grows to 6′ high by 6′ wide.
The berries can be eaten fresh, dried, or made into jams and pies.
https://www.naturehills.com/western-sand-cherry
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-45.pdf
Nanking Cherry
The nanking cherry shrub grows to 6–10′ high with a spread of 15 feet. The tart cherries can be eaten fresh or used for pies and jams.
https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/TreeDetail.cfm?ItemID=815