Mike, I got another one!

Galium odoratum, or sweet woodruff, is evergreen for me. I think it dies down in colder zones. I can give you some to get you started if you end up coming to our fall plant swap. They spread easily but aren't invasive in my experience.

You can use the leaves for teas or fruit drinks, although I've never tried it myself. It's also used to make May wine, which I'd love to try, but I've never seen it anywhere. Hm. I just realized mine didn't bloom very well this spring. I wonder why.

Oh, just thought of St. John's wort as I was typing. Hypericum calycinum, or creeping St. Joh's wort, is evergreen for me. It's the only Hypericum I grow, so I don't know about the other species. St. John's wort is technically edible but it's medicinal with quite a few contraindications. I've read that you can make mead with its flowers.

Great thread topic! I had no clue you could eat magnolia petals.

I think my 'Hot & Spicy' oregano might be the more nearly evergreen of my greek oregano varieties, although it eventually dies back most years also. The other greek oregano plants might have a little flex to the leaves/stems yet in late winter, but even if they are not totally dead looking they seem to put out new growth just from the base of the plant each spring.

What about some of the more unusual "small fruits" like honeyberry, gooseberry, etc? I don't know what is evergreen and what isn't, with them. Hm... seems I've heard pawpaw is evergreen? The only time I got my um paws on some little trees, they went toes-up by end of summer, so I don't know about them either.

Paw paw is deciduous.
My Galium odoratum, I don't think of as evergreen, partly because it has a major hissy fit every summer and gets big dead patches. So pretty in spring. Maybe I need to try it elsewhere in the yard.

I have a couple Opuntias but they weren't gotten for fruit, and I've never had luck getting a ripe fruit that looks worth a taste. If you can get a 'fruit' one, it might possibly be hardy in the right microclimate.

@ssgardener: I'm so happy to hear sweet woodruff is evergreen here! It's one I came across a while ago in my research, but I couldn't find any definitive evidence that it wouldn't die back. I'm so excited to look into some uses for it. What kind of sun do you have it in? I did know of St. John's Wort, but could only find medicinal uses.

@critterologist: I've looked into honeyberry and other lonicera species. The only edible evergreen I've found is Japonica. As for gooseberries, I have found a few Ribes species that are evergreen and non toxic, they are fairly obscure and rare though. I plan to try Ribes Davidii, as it's one of few that are hardy and don't have brambles. Rubus is another genus I'm looking into (raspberries, blackberries, salmonberries, dewberries, boysenberries, etc). So far, I've found a few varieties that are evergreen, and the whole genus is technically edible. Rubus Nepalensis looks to be the most promising as a flavorful evergreen raspberry, and I plan on testing it as well.

Anyone happen to know of any roses that are evergreen in zone 7? (thornless would be a plus) All Rosa species are edible, petals and hips, though taste and texture varies wildly.

I remember pulling apart L. japonica blooms as a kid for the sweet nectar. I guess you can't do that with the native honeysuckle, which is evergreen for me.

Sally, I don't think my sweet woodruff gets dead patches in the summer. Or does it? I can't remember! Jeff was saying last year that sweet woodruff was too aggressive for him, but I find it really easy to control, especially in areas that are not well watered.

Now I'm really curious about how an opuntia fruit might taste.

Both Opuntia fruit and pads (nopales) can be found in the grocery section of international groceries in metropolitan areas, and canned nopales are carried in the Latino Foods section of many grocery chains.

Oh, I forgot that the pads themselves are also edible.

I don't know all the varieties you named above--but just wanted to tell you
I have a Gooseberry bush (very thorny) that was passed down to me by an old, Estonian man
maybe 30 years ago..
I also have 2 extras of the bigger bush growing well in 2gal pots.

It does not produce many berries and they seldom ripen. I think the birds beat me to it.
I also believe that Gooseberries prefer a more northern climate. Too hot here...

I had to dig up the original bush so it ended up being divided in extra sections.
Only ONCE, in all these year, I got enough ripe berries to make some jam.

Any secrets to a more productive fruiting bush???

1--here is the bigger bush. It is in a huge pot in almost full sun.
The "things" hanging above it are fronds of my 2 Epis.


2--Here are a few berries (still green) on th bush,


3--Here are the two extras doing Ok in 2 gal pots on top of some cinder blocks.


Gita

@EvergreenMike LOVE this thread!!!! You have 5 more acorns...go find you another badge.

Yay! A new badge! Thanks @Chantell!!

@Gitagal: Based on the pictures, it seems your gooseberries are in quite a bit of shade. Do they produce many flowers? Fruit production rule of thumb: less sun means less flowers, slower fruit development, and less sweet/tasty fruit.

Can't help you out in MD but I'm happy to share two organic nurseries in central VA should you will inspired to head down that way. I'm sure you're already well aware of Mountain Rose Herbs https://www.mountainroseherbs.... I can't be trusted to dry medicinal herbs I grew so I buy it from them to make tinctures etc.

Mike--
I would say they get dappled shade...so dappled sun too--depending on the time of day.

There are two old, Maples in my small back yard. The Silver maple is HUGE!
The post (used to hold my roll out laundry line) is where the Gooseberry pot is.
It gets some direct sun as it passes over, but then the high branches of the Maple shade it.
The other Maple is a red maple aka a Swamp Maple. It is more petite in structure.
I have NOWHERE else to plant it--so it has to make do.

You would have to stop by here to see the way my back yard "lives". Difficult to get
any areas of direct sun. BUT--that is all I have--The bonus is when you walk around back
on a hot day--the temps drop about 10*. So lovely on sweltering days.
The breeze and the shade the trees add to a hot day is nice.

Anyway--since you graduated from Perry Hall HS (4 houses away from me) I welcome
you to stop in and check out my small garden and yard. You will be surprised at all
that does grow here.....Anyway--I am sure you will see it some day.

Here are a "panorama" ???? of my back yard. Pics taken (June 2013) from my BR window.
Brace yourself---you will see how ridiculously small it all is--
****************************************************************
1--Back yard left side.
The shed and the raised bed are my property boundaries.


2-- This is the middle of my back yard.
The pole in the distance is where the pot of Gooseberry bush is located.
To the right is part of my YUK bed--so named bc it is totally full of maple roots.
Can't dig anywhere....therefore...."YUK" bed. The corner with the light is part of my Patio.


3--This is IT--the YUK bed in it's entirety and a good view of the Big Maple.
Must be close to 50yrs. old. As you can see--the trunk is just 4' away from the bed.
The wood fence was put up by my Pakistani neighbor. That took away a lot of
direct sun for my bed. It is amazing, though, re all that DOES grow there....


4--Here is a view (still from my window) of the patio--looking down.
This is where a lot of gardening action takes place.
ALL my Houseplants and HB's spend the summer somewhere on this patio.
The big, round table is moved to center and I do a lot of potting and planting on it.
The swing is to relax on--a cold beer or an iced glass of wine in hand.


5--This is a good view of the YUK bed and the BIG maple. (2011)
The Gooseberry bush is/was located just to the right of the tree trunk
before I dug it up and divided it. I was trying to resurrect this tiny, unused,
root-infested bed and see if I could dig it up, amend it, and plant something in it.
The fence my neighbor put up pretty much ended any sun anywhere at ground level.
Even my old Lilac stopped blooming. (It is on the right of the tree trunk)



6--This is a nice view looking at the Patio from the East side.
Makes me feel comfy just to look at it.....


7--This is the South side of my house--this bed gets full sun all day long.
You can also get some idea of how huge the maple is we are talking about.
It engulfs the back yard as you look at it. Tall and elegant...
Many a branch has come sailing down due to it's age--and--YES!--due to the
last big infestation of Cicadas--which scraped the bark on all tree branches
down through the cambium--to lay their eggs in. A death sentence to that branch---
Almost every branch, big or small, that comes down, has old scars from the cicadas in it.
To the right--see the the Lilac bush? It was still OK then.


8--Look familiar, Mike???
Just over the hump of the road, and to the left, is Perry Hall HS.
I can still see the Parades and the band marching down the road---
their blue capes blowing in the wind. Used to give me goosebumps.
My daughter, Benita, was part of the band.


NOW--You have to send us pictures of your house and garden. Deal?

Gita

David and Pat---

Please look at the Post just above.
I promised to send you pictures of my property and house. (All just 65' x 100' )
Turns out, Mike, graduated from Perry Hall HS which is just 4 houses down from me.
He knows this area well.... My daughters both went there too..

Mike said he might stop in sometime if he comes this way
Just getting YOU and HIM acquainted with MY gardening World.
Gita

Anyone----some info on trees that thrive in dense shade.
This was in our Newspaper on may 22nd.
This should enlarge nicely when you open it. Gita

Found three edible evergreen gooseberries/currants: Ribes Davidii, Ribes Gayanum, and Ribes Laurifolium. Anyone have experience with any of these?

Currants and Gooseberries are 2 different plants/berries.
--Currants berries grow in bunches--like grapes. Just a lot smaller.
--Gooseberries grow on thorny bushes and are only sweet/edible when they turn ripe.
When ripe--they turn a pale pink.

There are 3 diferent varieties of Currants. Red--white--and black.

Red is the most common--hard to eat by the hand-fulls--as they are a bit sour.
It is an acquired taste thing....
Often red currants are used to make a refreshing summer drink.

White (have not eaten them hardly ever) are a bit more mellow.

Black currants are not a berry to eat raw. Quite an unpleasant taste....
but Black Currant Jam is quite good.

How do I know all this? I am from Latvia--my land of birth. ALL these berries
grow very well in this country. Cooler summers...

https://www.bing.com/images/se...

Anyone have any comments to ad? Gita

@gitagal It's my understanding that the varieties you've mentioned are all deciduous: Ribes Rubrum, Ribes Nigrum, and Ribes Uva-Crispa. Though they are the most well know Ribes species, many others in the genus are worth cultivating for food as well. The three Ribes species I mentioned earlier are all evergreen and hardy to minimally zone 7. Do you have any experience with those particular species? Or maybe know of another evergreen currant/gooseberry?

In case you are not familiar with it, I suggest you check out the nursery Edible Landscaping, in Afton, VA. Everything they sell is edible and hardy in zone 7. Up to you to figure out what is evergreen or ask them. They are pricey, but it is a beautiful setting to visit. http://ediblelandscaping.com/

Thanks for the suggestion, David! Afton's not that long of a drive from here.

What about asparagus? Is it evergreen? Aren't you supposed to leave the ferny growth over winter?

Been sleeping poorly due to physical issues and am a bit addled. Keep reading the title of this thread as "Hardly Edible Evergreens".