This page provides a list of plants commonly referenced as dynamic accumulators in permaculture and forest garden literature. These plants are believed to draw nutrients from deeper soil layers and concentrate them in their leaves and tissues.
When used in systems such as chop-and-drop mulching, composting, green manure, or as living mulch, these plants can help cycle nutrients through ecosystems and contribute to long-term soil fertility.
Living mulch is the practice of growing plants directly around crops, trees, or within garden beds so that they function as a permanent mulch layer while still alive. These plants protect the soil surface, contribute organic matter through root turnover and leaf drop, support soil biology, and can be periodically cut and used as chop-and-drop mulch.
In permaculture and forest garden systems, dynamic accumulator plants used as living mulch can continuously contribute biomass and nutrients while helping to maintain soil structure, moisture retention, and ecological diversity.
How Dynamic Accumulators Are Used
In permaculture design and forest gardens, dynamic accumulator plants are commonly used to:
- Produce biomass for mulch
- Improve soil fertility through chop-and-drop systems
- Provide nutrient-rich compost materials
- Support pollinators and beneficial insects
- Improve soil structure and organic matter
Many of these plants also provide additional functions such as edible leaves, medicinal uses, animal forage, or pollinator support.
Dynamic Accumulator Plant Database
Most of the plants in this list are suited to temperate climates, as the resource was developed primarily for temperate permaculture and forest garden systems used in Europe and similar regions. Some species may also grow in other climates, but suitability will vary depending on local conditions.
The following table contains plants frequently referenced as dynamic accumulators. The spreadsheet includes species and the nutrients they are believed to accumulate in their tissues.
Using This List in Permaculture Design
When selecting plants from this list, consider how they function within the wider ecosystem. Dynamic accumulators are often combined with other functional plant groups such as:
- Nitrogen-fixing plants
- Groundcover plants
- Pollinator plants
- Biomass and mulch plants
These combinations help create resilient and productive systems where nutrients are cycled naturally through plant growth and decomposition.
Learn More About Dynamic Accumulators
For a full explanation of how dynamic accumulators work in permaculture systems, see:
Dynamic Accumulator Plants for Permaculture and Forest Gardens →