EINADIA nutans

Although not commonly grown in cultivation the Nodding Saltbush produces attractive small red berries which are very sweet. Leaves can also be boiled and eaten.

The plants make a good ground cover when planted en masse, suitable for sloping banks, small areas between shrubs or large open expanses.

It can climb low fences or over obstacles to 1 metre. It has 2 cm long succulent leaves, and green ball-shaped flowers that occur in summer followed by small juicy edible red berries in autumn.

Occurs in all states and territories.

Prefers a well-drained moist soil in a sunny position to part shaded, drought and frost resistant. Tolerates saline conditions including salt-laden winds.

Please Note: Although many of the traditional Bush Food and Medicine plants are now commercially produced in various forms we recommend you re-search these before using them as any form of food or medicine. Some parts of the plant may not be edible or some may need to be prepared before they are safe to eat or use in any way. We do our best to describe their traditional & modern uses. It is the purchaser's responsibility to ensure they are fit for their intended use.

Grow notes:

Although seed can be sown most of the year in many parts of Australia seed is generally best sown in spring or autumn, avoid the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum germination temperature for germination is around 18-22°C

1. Sow seed on the surface of a porous seed-raising mix.
2. Sprinkle a light covering of the seed-raising mix over the seed. Do not bury the seed too deeply.
3. Water with a fine mist spray to avoid disturbance of the seed.
4. Place in a warm shaded or semi-shaded position to avoid dying out.
5. Keep warm & moist, and avoid drying out or waterlogging the growing mix.
6. Germination generally occurs in around 14-28 days in suitable conditions.

General note: Seeds of many natives are dormant and require specific conditions or pre-treatment for germination.
Do not be too hasty to discard seed that does not germinate, seeds will often lay dormant until the conditions are similar to their natural requirements for germination to occur. Containers put to one side will often surprise long after they were discarded.