Plant identification guides:
Bush tucker food forest
Information about medicinal qualities of plants, or about their use as medicines, is for interest only, and is not intended to be used as a guide for the treatment of medical conditions.
As with all medicinal applications of Australian bush foods, please do your due diligence and consult with First Nations or other Australian herbal specialists before utilising as a remedy for any condition.
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. We do our best to describe their traditional & modern uses. It is the reader’s responsibility to ensure they are fit for their intended use.
We can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Blue Quandong
Scientific name:
Other Names:
Elaeocarpus grandis (however some dispute this taxon, placing the tree as Elaeocarpus angustifolius).
Blue Marble Tree, Blue Fig, Wild Peach, Desert Peach, Native Peach, Silver Quandong, White Quandong, Coolan, Indian Oil Fruit; Genitri, Brush Quandong; Brisbane Quandong; Blueberry Ash, Utrasum Bean Tree, Woodenbegar, Indian Bead Tree.
Family:
Elaeocarpaceae
Basic info:
Elaeocarpus grandis is a spectacular sub-tropical rainforest tree, prized for its bright blue fruit, attractive flowers, and beautiful wood.
It is one of the true giants of the forest, reaching for the top of the canopy. Trees may grow to a height of 35m,[1] and usually grows beside rivers and creeks in the subtropical rainforests of Queensland, Northern Territory and northern parts of NSW. It is also native to India, Asia, New Guinea and New Caledonia.
The tree has distinctive buttress roots, which are present even on smaller trees, becoming large and elaborate on older trees. The crown is sparse and open, the branches layered, with the leaves clustered towards the ends of the twigs. The leaves are bright green above and paler below, turning bright red before falling. Indeed, Blue quandongs can be identified by unusual red-pink leaves standing-out among the green foliage. It is common to see red leaves in the canopy at any time of year.
The blue quandong tree begins to flower around its seventh year. Flowering (which occurs as pretty, fringed cream-coloured flowers) has been observed in this species in all months except August, September and October, while fruit have been observed in every month but with a significant surge of sightings from June to November.[2]
The fruit is spherical, measuring about 2–3 cm in diameter. The skin of the fruit is a brilliant blue, produced not by pigment, but by a microscopic structure similar to iridescent bird and butterfly wings (this is very rare in fruit).[3]
Beneath the skin there is a thin layer of green flesh around a hard stone with a bumpy texture, resembling a wrinkly brain. The stone contains between two and five seeds.
The fruit is best when slightly over-ripe and soft, or it can taste quite bitter. Separate the fruit’s bright blue skin from the green flesh.
The Blue Quandong is an excellent pioneering tree. It will grow quickly, usually reaching 5 or 6 meters in only a few years. This is one of the fastest growing species in the rainforest particularly following logging or any other major disturbances. The tree's rapid growth rate and pioneering nature make it an excellent choice for reforestation and ecological restoration projects.
Mature trees can get to 30m+ with quite an open canopy that allows some light through to the shorter understory, making it the ideal tree for establishing lush topical undertstory plantings underneath.
The fruits are attractive to birds (e.g. Brushturkey) and mammals (e.g. Flying foxes). In far north Queensland, the Southern Cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius) eat the fruit and, in so doing, help to disperse the seeds via their dung.
Derivation of the name: Elaeocarpus – From the Greek word 'elaia' the olive tree, and 'karpos', a fruit in reference to the similarity of the fruit to that of the olive. Grandis – From the Latin word meaning 'great'.
[1] Out of its native tropical environment, however, you can expect about half this height: https://tuckerbush.com.au/blue-quandong-elaeocarpus-angustifolius/ [Back]
[2] https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/369964-Elaeocarpus-grandis [Back]
[3] David W. Lee (1997), “Iridescent Blue Plants: Some tropical plants produce color as insects do, using layered filters to create patterns of light interference. The filters' adaptive value remains a mystery”, American Scientist Vol. 85(1), pp. 56-63. [Back]
Uses and Interesting Information:
Indigenous Australians ate the fruit raw or buried the unripe fruit in sand for four days making it sweet and more palatable. Indigenous tribes of the north were also known to make up an edible paste of the ripe fruit by squashing them into a bark trough filled with water.
Early settlers used the fruit for jams, pies and pickles.
Amongst Australian Aboriginal people, Quandongs were also much valued for their medicinal properties. They have been shown to have a vitamin C content higher than oranges.
It has a wide array of medicinal uses, including:
Against inflammatory disorders,
Liver problems,
Cardiovascular problems,
Lowers blood pressure
Used for painful joints
Chronic skin complaints
Against colds and flus
Studies suggest further medicinal properties as: anxiolytic, immune stimulatory, sun protective, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, antihypertensive, antiproliferative, contraceptive properties.[1]
Other traditional medicinal uses:
In the Philippines, bark used for treatment of enlarged spleen.
Seeds used for hypertension and heart ailments.
Fruits used for epileptic fits. Leaf sap used for stomach aches, chest and shoulder pains.
In the Indian subcontinent, used as anti-convulsant, anti-hypertensive, antimicrobial,, antidiabetic, antidepressant, analgesic.
Used in folk medicine for treatment of stress, anxiety, depression, palpitation, nerve pain, epilepsy, migraine, lack of concentration, asthma, arthritis and liver disease.[2]
Further Health benefits:
Blue Quandong fruit is high in antioxidants, which are compounds that can protect the body's cells from damage caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals. This can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, & Alzheimer's disease.
Blue Quandong fruit & seed extracts have shown anti-inflammatory properties in studies, which can help reduce inflammation in the body & lower the risk of chronic diseases.
The fruit of the Blue Quandong tree has traditionally been used to treat digestive disorders, such as diarrhea & dysentery.
It may also have a prebiotic effect, which can improve the health of the gut microbiome.
The seed oil of the Blue Quandong tree is rich in fatty acids, which can help moisturize & protect the skin.
It may also have anti-aging properties & can help reduce the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles.
Blue Quandong fruit is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, & minerals such as potassium & calcium, which are essential for maintaining good health.[3]
Aboriginal people also used the stones to make necklaces.
In India, the cleaned pits of the fruit of this tree are known as rudraksha (from Sanskrit: rudrākṣa, meaning "Rudra's teardrops" or "eyes") and are widely used as prayer beads and jewellery.
During the colonial period the timber was used to make racing sculls and oars, cabinet making and interior construction.
[1] http://www.stuartxchange.org/BlueFig [Back]
[3] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/organic-consumers-association-of-australia_blue-quandong-elaeocarpus-angustifolius-activity-7052765394775773185-et5v [Back]
Recipes:
Recipes to come