Even in North Central Florida, where winters are generally mild, the occasional freeze can test your food forest’s resilience. Choosing cold-hardy perennials and edible plants means less worrying about frost damage — and more year-round abundance with less work. If you’re designing or expanding your food forest this winter, it’s the perfect time to plan your cool-season champions — those tough, perennial plants that keep producing (or at least stay alive and ready to bounce back) through the cold.

In permaculture, we design for permanence. That means working with nature’s cycles — not fighting them. So instead of replanting annuals every spring, we can fill our layers with cold-tolerant trees, shrubs, herbs, and ground covers that come back stronger each year. Let’s dig into some of the best cold-hardy perennials and edible plants for Florida’s food forests.

Even though we’re in zone 9a, a sudden cold snap can still stress subtropical trees. Balancing your canopy with some cold-tolerant species keeps your system stable and productive, no matter what winter throws at it.

Tree Layer: Hardy Backbone of the Food Forest

Loquat

Loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) are one of my food forest favorites. They’re evergreen, extremely low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and surprisingly cold-hardy — established trees can handle temps down to the low 20s. Loquats bloom in late fall and ripen in early spring, giving you fresh fruit when little else is producing. Their sweet-tart flavor is perfect for fresh eating or jam-making.

Permaculture bonus: The thick leaves make great mulch when pruned, and the tree provides partial shade for tender herbs and greens beneath. The leaves can also be used for tea.

Persimmons

Native and Asian persimmons both thrive here, with some varieties tolerating temperatures as low as 0°F. They’re hardy, pest-resistant, and provide late-fall fruit when most other trees are done. Native American persimmons also feed wildlife and support pollinators. I grow Ichi-Ki-Kei-Jiro (non-astringent) Persimmon and find them productive and low-maintenance.

Guavas

I have pineapple and strawberry guavas that are slow-growing, but evergreen beauties that are both ornamental and (eventually) edible. I also have a lemon guava that I grew from a cutting that is fast-growing and amazingly prolific. Last year, I also added a cold-hardy variety that is known to grow well in Central Florida (see link below). Guavas can handle lows into the teens, making them one of the toughest subtropical fruit shrubs around. Both the fruit and its stunning flowers are edible.

Citrus Trees

I grow Meyer Lemons, Meiwa Kumquats, Satsuma Oranges, Calamondin, and a few kinds of limes. Satsumas and kumquats are the most cold-hardy, surviving temperatures to 15˚ F when established. Other citrus could be damaged by freezing temperatures, but I still find them worth the effort. I will baby a citrus tree its first year in the ground, covering it with crates, cages, or temporary fencing, then completely covering it with a blanket mid-day so some warm air gets trapped inside. I’ve even put incandescent bulbs inside. In this area, we usually only reach freezing temperatures 2-3 times a year, and only for a few hours early in the morning. I have not lost a citrus tree to freezing temperatures yet.

Shrub Layer:

Shrubs fill the middle layer of your food forest, offering structure and year-round yield. These species can withstand frost and provide resilience in unpredictable winters.

Blueberries

I’ve got several blueberry varieties, and none need to be covered in cold weather. Rabbiteye varieties are the most cold-tolerant for our area, thriving in Zones 7–9. They go dormant in winter, leaf out beautifully in spring, and provide an abundance of antioxidant-rich fruit by early summer.

Mulberries

The black and red varieties handle frost well. Mine are not in full sun and have grown slowly, but are extremely low maintenance. Do not plant near home foundations as its potentially aggressive roots can cause structural and plumbing damage.

Goji Berries

Considered a “superfruit” because of its high levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and nutrients, this shrub is easy to grow in North Central Florida. Goji berries offer many health benefits. They are believed to boost immunity, improve circulation, help with weight loss, protect the liver and kidneys, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, and even prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. Mine is in full sun and never needs to be covered (once it is established).

Katuk and Chaya (Tree Spinach)

These tropical greens can freeze to the ground in winter, but will regrow from the roots once temperatures warm. Plant them in a sheltered microclimate near walls, fences or other heat-retaining structures. Both will grow well in the shade, so I plant them under the Live Oaks at the back of our property. The cooked leaves are a nutrient-dense spinach substitute.

Herbaceous Layer:

This layer keeps your food forest lush and productive in the cooler months. Many herbaceous perennials and self-seeding annuals actually prefer our mild winters.

Longevity Spinach (Gynura procumbens)

This plant dies back in a hard freeze but usually regrows in spring if mulched well. I throw a sheet over mine and while growing slows in winter, they do fine if they are covered. Be sure to take a few cuttings indoors before frost just in case (they root easily in water). The leaves are perfect for salads or stir-fries and make a lush, living ground cover in warm seasons.

Okinawa Spinach (Gynura bicolor)

I have not had much luck with Okinawa Spinach in my yard (it just grows too slowly to offer a harvest), but I’m including it because many gardeners grow it successfully. It’s similar to longevity spinach, but is a gorgeous purple and green. It should survive light frost and return in the spring. It’s another great edible ground cover for partial shade areas.

Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum)

Truly cold-hardy, garlic chives die back in winter but return with vigor every spring. Their mild garlicky flavor and pollinator-attracting flowers make them a must-have in any permaculture system.

Ground Cover Layer:

Ground covers are crucial for weed suppression, moisture retention, and soil protection. A mix of edible and nitrogen-fixing species keeps your system thriving through winter.

Thyme

I like to plant thyme at the base of potted trees. Most varieties are winter-hardy perennials that go dormant in winter and survive freezing temperatures with basic winter mulching and pruning. Thyme is not only a great culinary herb, it’s also antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory.

Mint

This easy-to-grow ground cover will spread freely. I let it have its way in one of my tree guilds. On occasion, I need to pull it away from the base of a Meyer lemon tree; otherwise, I have not had trouble with it getting too out of control. Its growth slows in winter, but it always bounces back in the spring. Use it in drinks and desserts. It also aids in digestion, freshens breath, and even repels insects.

Sweet Potatoes

Super easy to grow in Florida zone 9a, I tuck them in wherever there is uncovered ground for quick soil protection. Sweet potatoes offer nutrient-rich edible leaves and tubers. If they die back in winter, they should grow back as soon as the weather warms again.

Sissoo / Brazilian Spinach

I plant them under trees and bushes. Trees with low branches (like avocados and guavas) seem to protect them enough that I can leave them uncovered when we get a frost, but plants that die back will grow back from the roots in spring. Sissoo spinach is rich in vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, and folic acid. It also contains antioxidants, protein, and fiber. While it can be eaten raw, cooking it can reduce its oxalate content. 

Root Layer:

Don’t forget the edible roots and tubers that can survive (or be left dormant) through the cold season.

Turmeric & Ginger

While they aren’t frost-hardy above ground, the rhizomes often survive mild winters if deeply mulched. Alternatively, harvest in late fall and replant in spring. These roots bring valuable medicinal and culinary benefits to the food forest.

Design Tips for Winter Resilience

Even the toughest plants benefit from thoughtful design:

• Stack functions – Plant cold-hardy shrubs or evergreens to shield tender perennials from frost.
• Use microclimates – South-facing walls, ponds, or rock borders absorb and radiate heat.
• Mulch deeply – A thick layer of leaves, wood chips, or straw helps regulate soil temperature and moisture.
• Observe your land – Notice where frost settles and where it melts first; design accordingly.

The beauty of a food forest is that it grows stronger over time. With every layer you add — from deep-rooted nitrogen fixers to frost-hardy canopy trees — your system becomes more self-regulating and less dependent on you.

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