On one of our walks back in January, we visited the soon to be launched Bush Food Walk at the University of Wollongong. Some of you may know I am working on a similar project at the Illawarra Grevillea Park Botanic Garden, so I thought I might pass on a few suggestions for growing native food plants in the home garden.
The Illawarra region has several useful food plants locally occurring and many others from outside the region also grow well here. They have different uses from eating straight from the plant to steeping in water (hot or cold), drying and grinding, or adding to more conventional recipes such as marinades and cakes etc.
I have listed a few that I grow in my own garden as well as ones that have done well at the Grevillea Park.
Ground covers and smaller plants:
Warrigal Greens, Tetragonia tetragonioides – leaves, great spinach substitute, grows very easily and will self-seed as well. Blanch in hot water before using to remove oxalates. Can be used in anything that you would use spinach for, including pesto, dip, pasta dishes, spanakopita. (spinach pie) Can be frozen after blanching.
Chocolate Lily, Arthropodium strictum, Yam Daisy, Microseris lanceolata, Native Parsnip, Trachymene incisa – the tubers of these plants are the edible part and can be boiled, grated or dried and ground up. All are readily propagated from seed as well and make an attractive addition to the garden with their pretty flowers.
Native or Sea Celery, Apium prostratum – this looks very similar to regular celery and tastes very similar too. Use the leaves in salads or as a chopped addition/garnish.
Pigface, Carpobrotus, Disphyma – there are several cultivars available now, the leaves, fruit and flowers can make colourful addition to salads. The leaves can also be pickled. Squeeze the pulp out of the fruit for a sweet/salty flavour hit.
Native Mint – there are several plants classified as native mint including Mentha and Prostanthera. Both prefer a bit more moisture and part shade. Use as you would any of the culinary mints, as a tea, in sauces, salads and flavouring marinades, stews etc.
Shrubs:
Native Raspberry, Rubus sp. – several species are available now, I personally love the Atherton Tablelands Raspberry (R probus) with its large jewel like tasty fruit. I recommend you grow this in a large pot as they sucker prolifically and will take over your garden. Eat straight from the bush, add to drinks, cakes or serve with cream.
Finger Lime, Citrus australasica- another plant where new cultivars are being released. They will grow happily in pots. Serve the caviar like pulp on oysters, in drinks, salad dressing and any recipe that calls for lime. I prefer not to cook them as I feel the texture gets lost, they can be frozen for short term storage, candied or dried.
Salt Bush, Atriplex nummularia – an attractive plant for the garden due to its silver foliage, the leaves can be picked and added to salad or dried and ground as a flavouring for dressings, marinades etc. There are other species with salt bush as their common name.
Midyim Berry, Austromyrtus dulcis – a smaller shrub with a sprawling habit, this produces tiny grey sweet tasting fruits after attractive white or pink flowers. Eat straight from the plant or add to salads.
Apple Berry, Billardiera scandens – this is a climber rather than a shrub and can be grown on a trellis. The pretty tubular flowers are followed by yellowish fruit which fall from the plant when ripe. Eat fresh
Walking Stick Palm, Linospadix monostachya – this one’s a bit unusual, being a small palm that could be grown indoors. The red fruits are produced in long sprays and have a crisp and refreshing taste. Eat fresh.
Davidsonia johnsonii to D. jerseyana
Davidson Plum, Davidsonia johnsonii – a very architectural tree growing straight upwards with the fruits produced along the trunk. They are a bluish purple in colour when ripe and quite sour to taste. The fruits make a beautiful, coloured jam.
Illawarra Plum Pine, Podocarpus elatus – an unusual fruit in that the seed is separate from the flesh. Sweet and tasty, this can be eaten raw and makes lovely jam.
Macadamia, Macadamia integrifolia – the nuts are the edible part and are my favourite nut. There are cultivars available such as Pinkalicious and Lotsa nuts. The nuts fall from the tree when mature, get a macadamia nutcracker it’s worth it! Roast the nuts, chop or grind to add to cakes, muffins, cereals and biscuits or as a thickener for curries.
Native Tamarind, Diploglottis australis, campbellii – there are several species available, all producing sour orange fruits. Use in jams, relishes or tart fillings.
Lilly Pilly, Syzygium sp. – an iconic plant both for its pretty flowers and sweet colourful fruit which can be pink, blue or white depending on the species. Use raw, in jams, add to salads and drinks, I have heard of it being used to make champagne as well.
Lemon Myrtle, Backhousia citriodora – very distinctively lemon scented leaves. Steep in hot water to make a tea. Dry leaves and flowers and grind up to add to cakes, biscuits, anything where a lemon scent and flavour is required.
Enjoy finding these plants for your own gardens and in the case of the smaller plants don’t just buy one, buy half a dozen or more!
