ELAEOCARPUS grandis - Blue Quandong 250g

Blue Quandong forms a large buttress trunk at the base of the tree with visible roots and a spreading canopy.

Flowering occurs from March to June (in its native range) that are followed by blue fruits that weigh 7g on average.
The tree starts bearing fruit in three to four years.
The indigenous people valued the Quandongs for their medicinal properties and would traditionally make an edible paste from the ripe fruit that is often referred to as Wild Peach, Desert Peach or Native Peach. Quandongs have a vitamin C content higher than oranges.

Also known as Elaeocarpus angustifolius.

Occurs naturally in the Northern Territory and Queensland as well as Asia.
Prefers moist soil in a sunny position, tolerant to the occasional light frost.

Please Note: Although many of the traditional Bush Food and Medicine plants are now commercially produced in various forms we recommend you research these before using them as any form of food or medicine. Some parts of the plant may not be edible or some may need preparation before they are safe to eat or use in any way. 

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 for this species.

Filing or cutting the seed to expose a small part of the embryo assist in the uptake of moisture giving faster germination. Care must be taken not to damage the embryo if this method is undertaken.

1. Soak the seed for 3-4 days changing the water daily to remove inhibitors.
2. Sow seed 1cm deep
3. Place in a warm shaded or semi-shaded position to avoid dying out.
4. Keep warm & moist, and avoid drying out or waterlogging the growing mix.
5. Germination can be slow and take several months to a year or more to occur under natural conditions.

The seed will also germinate successfully in the compost pile, providing it is kept moist and retains heat. Simply cover the compost with a damp hessian bag and stay moist. Check periodically for germination.

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 are discarded.

Due to the size of this seed, a $6.00 additional shipping charge is applied to bulk lots of 25 grams or more as they can only be posted as a parcel.