Bush Tucker Plant List – Gaias Organic Gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raspberry Jam Wattle – Acacia Acuminata

  • Edible seeds can be grounded into flour and baked into cakes
  • Raspberry Jam Wattle flowers heavily in Spring

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Parsley – Apium prostratum var. prostratum

  • Use it as a garnish or to flavor soups
  • We recommend growing it in a tall pot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midyim Berries – Austromyrtus dulcis

  • May be eaten fresh or used in pies and preserves.
  • This dense, bushy plant does best in full sun or part shade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karkalla – Carpobrotus virescens (Bain)

  • The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked like a vegetables
  • Can tolerates both drought and salt, and is somewhat frost-resistant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finger Lime – Citrus australasica

  • Great for summer drinks and desserts.
  • Finger Limes thrive in dappled light as well as full sun. In cooler climates, a partly shaded north-facing site is preferred.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooray – Davidsonia pruriens

  • Beautifully tart plum-like berries rich in antioxidants and vitamins.
  • This is a medium-sized tropical ornamental tree, growing to between 4 and 8 metres.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Lily – Arthropodium strictum

  • Fragrant flowers are also edible, and may be added to salads.
  • Grow in full sun or part shade in a garden bed or pot at least 20cm deep allowing room for the tubers to develop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warrine – Dioscorea hastifolia

  • Great ingredient in a variety of savoury and sweet dishes, like stews, pies, curries, and tarts.
  • For best results, grow it in a loamy medium and keep mulched.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby Saltbush – Enchylaena tomentosa

  • Berries may be eaten raw or soaked in water to make a sweet tea
  • It prefers full sun but will also grow in dappled shade. Can survive saline soil, sandy soil, long droughts and even some frost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bloodroot – Haemodorum spicatum

  • Best baked or roasted, and may be pounded and dried and used as a spice.
  • Bloodroot is summer dormant and slow growing. Takes a while to produce a decent bulb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muntries – Kunzea pomifera

  • Perfect for eating raw in salads and cheese platters, or cooked in jams.
  • Avoid disturbing the roots and grow your muntrie upright on a low trellis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Tongue – Melastoma affine

  • Berries can be picked and eaten directly off the shrub.
  • Grows fast, reaching up to 3m in height. It produces no nectar, but plenty of pollen, and will attract bees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native River Mint – Mentha australis

  • Used for sauces, salads, dressing, dips, roasts, desserts, teas and cocktails
  • It grows relatively fast and will need regular pruning to keep tidy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gumbi Gumbi – Pittosporum angustifolium

  • Great as tea, often touted for its health benefits
  • For best results in a home garden, choose a well-drained loamy soil or potting mix, located in full sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Youlk – Platysace deflexa

  • Makes a tasty ingredient for salads, stews, pies, gratin and cakes.
  • Grow your Youlk in full sun or part shade, in loamy soil, and water generously during summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bush Basil – Plectranthus graveolens

  • Scatter fresh leaves on pizza or caprese and salad.
  • Though it will tolerate sandy soil and low nutrient levels, a loamy potting mix with plenty of organic matter will yield a better harvest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illawarra Plum – Podocarpus elatus

  • A compliment for chilli, garlic, sauces and marinades.
  • You’ll need both male and female trees to produce fruit. To increase your chances of pollination, best planting several plants or use as a hedge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Purslane – Sesuvium portulacastrum

  • Great for pickling as this is one salty succulent.
  • It’s a low-maintenance plant. A fast grower, we don’t recommend growing it alongside other herbs and veggies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seablite – Suaeda australis

  • As a cooked vegetable, they bear resemblance to young bean shoots in texture.
  • Seablite is a fast grower that prefers moist soil. Tolerates a wide range of pH and thrives in saline conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tucker Bush Cherry – Syzygium austral

  • They may be eaten freshly picked from the tree, or made into jams, jellies, muffins, biscuits, and cakes.
  • Flowering begins in late-Spring/early-Summer with clusters of white fluffy flowers appearing across the branches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WA Samphire – Tecticornia lepidosperma

  • Enjoy these raw, sautéed or quickly blanched and tossed with olive oil and lemon.
  • Harvesting the tender new shoots will offer the best flavour without compromising plant growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warrigal Greens – Tetragonia tetragonioides

  • You can use Warrigal Greens the way you’d use spinach, chard, silverbeet and bok choy.
  • This plant may die back during winter, but may revive itself in the spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fraser Island Apple – Acronychia imperforate

  • Try turning them into syrups, jams or sauces, or drying them like raisins
  • Fraser Island Apple is much loved by birds, so be sure to harvest early and often to avoid disappointment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maroon Bush – Scaevola spinescens

  • Consume as tea, the leaves, flowers and berries of this plant can be simmered.
  • Maroon Bush is a hardy evergreen similar in appearance to rosemary and preferring similar conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Aspen – Acronychia oblongifolia

  • Enjoy them fresh on their own, or add them to salads and side dishes
  • With adequate care and pruning, you can easily grow it as a screen, a hedge or as an edible balcony plant in a large pot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Back Australian Ginger – Alpinia caerulea ‘Atherton’

  • Both the spicy root and bright blue fruit may be eaten. The ginger-scented rhizome may be used, like other ginger roots.
  • Prefers a constantly moist soil. Fertilise in Spring and mulch well before Summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bignay – Antidesma bunius

  • Bignay leaves are tart and may be used to flavour rice, salads, vegetables dishes.
  • This medium tree does well in full sun or part shade, and can handle a range of soil types.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native Gardenia – Atractocarpus fitzalanii

  • May be enjoyed raw on their own or used in salads, tarts, cakes and other desserts.
  • Be sure to shelter it from strong winds and the harsh afternoon sun. It prefers warmth and moisture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sandpaper Fig – Ficus coronate

  • They can be eaten fresh (after removing the furry skin) or dried, or cooked into cakes, pies, biscuits.
  • It tolerates cold climates, poor soils, low light, heavy pruning and some neglect, however it is somewhat frost sensitive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small-leaved Tamarind – Diploglottis campbellii

  • Recipe favourites include jams, jellies, sauces, fruit chutneys, spreads and coulis.
  • This plant is a prolific fruiter, capable of bearing many kilos in a harvest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boobialla – Prostanthera rotundifolia

  • Aromatic, juniper-like qualities makes Boobialla an exciting local botanical for essential oils and gin.
  • We’d caution against foraging for these fruits, as unlicensed picking of native plants is unsustainable and illegal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waterbush – Myoporum montanum

  • Like tomatoes, apples and rhubarb, some parts make great tucker while other parts may be harmful in large quantities or if prepared incorrectly.
  • Waterbush is a hardy, woody plant that’s adaptable to most soils and growing conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native Mulberry – Pipturus argenteus

  • They are soft and juicy, with a sweet and delicate flavor
  • Native Mulberry trees are dioecious, meaning they may be male or female. They prefer warm climates, full sun and soils with good drainage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native Oregano – Myoporum insulare ‘Prostrate’

  • A strongly aromatic herb, Native Oregano is a superior native substitute for common oregano.
  • Though Native Oregano will tolerate light frosts and full sun, it prefers temperate, partly shaded conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native Thyme – Prostanthera incisa

  • Native Thyme boasts a more complex flavour than Mentha mints. With hints of pepper and earthy tones.
  • Prefers warmth and moisture. Grow in full sun or part-shade, and water generously in Summer.

Notes: The plants are seasonal and availability changes monthly

Acknowledgment:

We would like to thank Tucker Bush tuckerbush.com.au for their assistance with this resource.



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