Posts Tagged ‘Billardiera scandens’

• Scrumptious Apple Berry’s

  Date: 2008.12.22 | Category: home, Horticulture | Response: 0

  The Native Appleberry ( Billardiera scandens) is one of my favourite native plants. It is a delicate little climber with beautiful lime green little bell flowers. The flowers are then followed by this lovely edible fruit that falls to the ground when ripe. The fruit was an important Aboriginal bush food and it has a flavour reminiscent of unsweetened stewed apples.

  The plant itself is very commonly seen growing in the bush and in coastal areas of Eastern Australia, from QLD right down the seaboard to Tasmania. It will grow in full sun to dense shade and can be grown quite successfully under large trees.

  

  This is a photo of one growing on my property on the fence. I never planted it there, it is a wild species that has taken a liking to the position. You can see the appleberry fruit in the top right hand position of the photo. The fruit can get quite large, approx 5cm or so and are very squishy when ripe. I wonder what the kids would say if I replaced Granny Smith in their lunch boxes with lovely Appleberry’s…