Toast's Useful Native Plant Blog

[toast]

For the last 3 months or so I've been keeping a blog about native Australian busk tucker, bush medicines and other useful native plant species on my business Facebook page, Good Karma Farmer, and it's website. I thought I'd duplicate here, as no doubt many members wouldn't be on Facebook.

I've been fortunate enough to work professionally in the Australian bushland for over 15 years, in the field of bush regeneration and as a consultant botanist. During this time, I have spent time in the field with an amazing array of world-class botanists and native fauna experts, archaeologists, hardcore nature enthusiasts and a range of indigenous elders, cultural officers and Green Team members. During this time, my interest in enthobotany and organic veggie gardening has flourished, and an obsession with bush tucker plants was inevitable.

I'll start copying across me post. Please comment on posts of interest, I'm very interested to hear your experiences with these plants.

Edited January 2, 2016 by toast

[toast]

Pigface (Carbobrotus glaucescens) is a succulent herb withedible leaves are quite saltly, and were traditionally used as a emergency food source after steaming them on a fire, or eaten with meat as a salt substitute. In recent times they have been pickled to make them (slightly!) more palatable. The tasty fruit are highly regarded, and have been compared to salty apples, salty strawberries or fresh figs.
Medicinally, the steamed leaves were used as a purgative by indigenous Tasmanians.

Edited January 2, 2016 by toast

[toast]

Bolwarra; Native Guava (Eupomatia laurina):
Bolwarra seedling exhibiting its characteristic zigzag stem (left), and ripe Bolwarra fruit (right).
This rainforest shrub has fruit that resemble commercial guava which contain tasty, sticky pulp.
The bark fibre was traditionally used to make twine for weaving and fishing.

Edited January 2, 2016 by toast

[toast]

Plum Pine (Podocarpus elatus) is an attractive rainforest tree that originated in the Triassic period, approximately 245 million years ago.
The fruit consists of an exposed seed and an edible swollen stalk, or receptacle. It has a resinous flavour, a succulent texture due to its high water content (60%), and a high Vitamin C content. It is a tasty treat eaten raw, and can be used in jams, jellies, tarts and cakes.

Edited January 2, 2016 by toast

[toast]

Narrow-leaved Palm Lily (Cordyline stricta) is a popular ornamental shrub with edible berries and roots. The sturdy trunk was traditionally used as a digging stick, a message stick and for a variety of weapons.

Edited January 2, 2016 by toast

[toast]

Roundleaf Mint (Prostanthera rotundifolia) [mauve flowers] & Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata) [yellow flowers].
Mintbushes are small shrubs of the in the Mint Family, Lamiaceae, well-known for their strongly aromatic leaves. The leaves can be used to flavour jams and jellies, make tea and potpourri, and to extract calmative essential oils from.
Traditionally, Hop Goodenia leaves were rubbed onto the fingers and nails of young children on long journeys, so when they sucked their fingers, they would fall asleep and be easier to carry.
Infused leaves and twigs also have antibiotic properties, possibly due to the usolic acid content.

[toast]

Low quality iphone photos of Sandpaper Fig (Ficus coronata).
This shrub or small tree is found in rainforests and near creeks from Northern Territory to Victoria.
The figs (left) are dark purple when ripe and edible but range from being dry and insipid to juicy and sweet. The figs are technically not fruit, but the flower-bearing structures, or inflorescences. They are hollow and lined with tiny flowers that are pollinated by tiny native wasps.
The common name is Sandpaper Fig because the leaves (right) are so rough that they were used to polish wooden weapons and implements. A friend of mine does her nails with them.
Finally, the milky latex from young shoots was traditionally applied to wounds to aid healing.

Edited January 2, 2016 by toast