PODOCARPUS elatus

An attractive tree with dark green glossy leaves and purple edible fruits, which are sweet and juicy with a subtle plum flavour. The fruits have a high vitamin C content and can be used in sweet and savoury recipes.
The edible fruit has a grape-like texture with a mildly sweet flavour and can be eaten raw or made into jam, jelly sauces and marinades. It can also be preserved or added to cakes, cheesecakes and fruit mixes.

A large Australian native rainforest tree endemic to the east coast of Australia, in eastern New South Wales and eastern Queensland, has survived since the dinosaur age.

The timber is prized for furniture making, joinery, and boat planking.

Prefers rich moist non-alkaline soil. Resistant to salt spray. Grows best in areas with a humid climate.
Plants tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c

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 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, avoiding the coldest and hottest months of the year. The optimum germination temperature for germination is around 20-24°C for this species.

Applying bottom heat when germinating although not critical can increase the speed of germination.

1. Soak the seed in water for 2 days changing the water daily.
2. Sow seed 1 cm deep
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 30-90 days depending on the 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.