Need edible perennial, deer resistant plant suggestions for partial shade slope zone 8b

The area behind my house slopes down a good bit. About killed myself trying to mow the grass along the west side. Have posted some photos of the east side where I'm putting in a big hugel bed. https://permies.com/t/22942/forest-garden/homestead-river
Have some pecan and oak trees growing along the slope as a canopy. Wanting to discourage deer that get into my orchard and also put fleas in the yard, which I'll be putting in electric fencing as a preventative. Want a low growing ground cover that is low maintenance. If it is edible and nitrogen fixing that would be double pluses.
Some of the candidates I've considered are lamb's ear, Mexican marigold, Mexican oregano, cedar sage and yarrow (not edible but hummingbirds and butterflies love it).
May have to put in a stone wall with hugel bed and trench to direct/capture more water to keep the slope from getting too dry. Looking to have keyhole type stone garden spots around some of the trees. Just batting around some ideas.

Ostrich Fern (Matteccia struthiopteris) a perennial grown for its edible spring fiddle heads, a delicacy worth big $$$$. It's easy to grow, self replicating, enjoys shade, ascetically pleasing and mine have never been eaten by deer.

If you are never going to use this piece of land, you may try garlic mustard. It is an edible weed that will reseed itself.

Second the yarrow, and it is good herbal medicine & antihelminthic, and also makes tasty yarrow beer. I would also DEFINITELY plant the 'mexican oregano' species poliomintha longiflora, that plant makes the absolute tastiest pot of beans and is the highest ORAC tested plant material in a USDA study comparing antioxidant capability of different herbs. Pretty flowers. But.... very very very tasty.....

edit: here is a link: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/antioxidant-herbs look for "the hunt for mexican oregano".


The more commonly available mexican oregano, the dried stuff in the stores and the nursery trade, is lippia graveolens, is tasty but not on the order of magnitude of a good greek oregano or poliomintha.

Wow, that's interesting. Will be sure to check out those listed!

I am not too sure about which plants are deer resistant but for a zone 8b.
Try out most plants from the mint/thyme family such as basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, lavender, and perilla.
Also check out this list. http://perennialvegetables.org/perennial-vegetables-for-each-climate-type/hot-and-humid/

So do restaurants seek out fiddleheads? I've seen where they taste good fried or steamed.

If you find the right restaurants, yes. Look for an upscale type place in the 'hip' part of town, the type of place that offers locally grown heirloom tomatoes on ten dollar salads, and talk to the chef. Though it is one of those chicken-and-egg type situations, often it is hard to get to talk to the chef if you don't already have access to fiddleheads, chanterelles, etc.

That's making me hungry... Spent most of the day putting up a fence along the slope. About slipped a time or two. Would have been a fun 20 foot roll down the hill.