Persoonia chamaepeuce

Lhotsky

Dwarf geebung

Proteaceae Edible: Fruit 184 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Persoonia chamaepeuce, commonly known as the dwarf geebung or heathy geebung, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a prostrate shrub with crowded, linear leaves and yellow flowers in the leaf axils.

Description

It is a low spreading shrub. It grows 10-20 cm high and spreads 1-2 m wide. Young growth is faintly hairy. They branches lie along the ground. The leaves are 0.8-2.5 cm long by 0.2 cm wide. They are narrow and alternate. They are deep green. The flowers are 0.7 cm across. They are yellow. They are on short stalks near the ends of small branches. The fruit are fleshy and small and green. They have one stone inside.

Edible Uses

The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a sweet, fibrous pulp attached to one large seed, with a flavour somewhat like sweet cotton wool. Australian Aborigines have long relished it.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in woodland and dry forest on well drained acid soils. It can grow in sun or light shade. It can stand frost.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

Requires a warm position in full sun in a freely draining preferably sandy slightly acid soil, preferring a pH around 6.3 to 6.5. Soils should be low in nutrients, especially nitrates and phosphates. Plants are not very hardy outdoors in Britain and usually require cool greenhouse treatment. They tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens, though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters.

Propagation

Scarify the seed and sow in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in autumn. Keep the seed tray in a sunny position through the following summer; germination should occur the next autumn, with around 46% success expected. Prick seedlings out into individual pots within 1–2 days of emergence, as the roots are very brittle and plants are easily lost. Grow on in the greenhouse for at least the first two winters, then plant out into permanent positions in early summer. Provide protection from winter cold for at least the first winter outdoors.

Other Uses

None known.

Notes

There are about 90 Persoonia species. They grow in Australia. Many have fruit which are edible.

References (4)

Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1997, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 7. Lothian. p 210 (Photo)
Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 229
Lord, E.E., & Willis, J.H., 1999, Shrubs and Trees for Australian gardens. Lothian. p 186
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/