Persoonia fastigiata

R.Br.

Proteaceae Edible: Fruit 1 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Persoonia fastigiata is a plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. It is a small, erect to spreading shrub with linear leaves and hairy flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to five on a rachis up to 10 mm (0.39 in) long.

Description

A small shrub. It grows 0.2-1 m high and spreads 0.6-1 m wide. Young growth is hairy. The leaves are 1.5-4 cm long by 0.2 cm wide. They are narrow and spoon shaped. The edges curve inwards. They are yellowish-green. The flowers are about 0.7 cm across and yellow. The fruit is 0.9 cm long by 0.7 cm wide.

Edible Uses

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

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It is a subtropical plant. They grow on granite soils. They need well drained acid soils. They can tolerate frost and dry periods.

Where It Grows

Australia*,

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know how hardy it will be in Britain. Plants 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. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. 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.

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.