BY USING NATIVE PLANTS ECOFLUENT OFFERS VARIOUS TREES WITH LITTLE NEED FOR OUTSIDE INTERVENTION.
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BlueberriesThere are four types of blueberries: highbush, lowbush, hybrid half-high, and rabbiteye.
Blueberry bushes are a shallow rooted plant with a pH preference of 4-5. Recipe ideas: -oatmeal and wheat flour blueberry pancakes -fruit salad -smoothies Nutrition: -help heart health - build bone strength - aid in skin health, blood pressure, diabetes management, cancer prevention, and mental health. |
Plum TreesPlum trees prefer soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Plum trees may need protection from winter winds. Plum trees can grow to 16 feet tall.
Recipe ideas: -plum cobbler -plum cake -plum jam -plum sorbet -salad Nutrition: -lower risk of heart disease -antioxidant -lowers blood pressure -high fiber |
Peach TreesPeach trees should have full sun and should not be shaded by other trees if possible to ensure good air circulation. Also, for pollination purposes, peach trees are self-pollinating. In other words, it only takes one tree to have a good harvest of peaches.
Recipe ideas: -peach pie -peach crisps and crumbles -peach salsa -peach bread -peach pecan scone Nutrition: -helps digestion -reduce allergy symptoms -antioxidant -improves heart health |
Pear TreesPear trees can take anywhere from 2-5 years to start producing fruit. Pear trees prefer soil with a pH of 6-7 and will be very large when mature and just one tree can produce up to 50 pounds in one fruiting season.
Recipe ideas: -cranberry sauce -salad -vanilla pear muffins -dried for trail mix -grilled brie and pear sandwich Nutrition: -reduce risk of cancer, diabetes, AND heart disease -high in fiber -helps to metabolize cholesterol |
THE "BEHIND THE SCENES" AT ECOFLUENTMichael Clark serves on the Board of Directors for Sustainable Springfield and is the founder of Ecofluent. He is an aircraft technician for C&C Aviation at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport. After an injury on an oil rig he moved to Springfield, where he began to pursue his passion for the environment and helping people.
Cassie is currently an employee of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Her primary environmental interests are waste reduction and climate mitigation. Cassie graduated from American University with a Masters in Public Administration and Policy, Illinois State University with a B.S. in Environmental Health and a B.M. in flute performance. As a student, she served as president of the Student Environmental Action Coalition, where they successfully pushed for recycling accessibility for students living off campus. Before starting with the IEPA, she worked to promote renewable energy and climate change mitigation in Chicagoland. Cassie is currently an employee of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Her primary environmental interests are waste reduction and climate mitigation. Cassie graduated from Illinois State University with a B.S. in Environmental Health and a B.M. in flute performance. As a student, she served as president of the Student Environmental Action Coalition, where they successfully pushed for recycling accessibility for students living off campus. Before starting with the IEPA, she worked to promote renewable energy and climate change mitigation in Chicagoland. |