A highly aromatic rainforest fruit treasured by Indigenous Australians for its spicy, tropical flavour. Bolwarra belongs to one of the oldest flowering plant lineages on Earth, predating bees. Its presence signals healthy, long-lived rainforest, and today it inspires chefs and perfumers with its unique, clove-like aroma.

Indigenous Uses

1. Fruit – a highly prized bushfood

• The ripe fruit was eaten fresh, giving off a powerful spicy–tropical aroma.

• Flavour is often described as:

  • Guava-like

  • Spicy, almost like cinnamon or clove

  • Sweet with a peppery undertone

It was considered a treat-fruit and an important seasonal food in rainforest regions.

2. Cooked and mashed for pastes

• Fruit was sometimes:

  • Cooked on warm stones

  • Mashed into a spicy paste or relish

  • Combined with other fruits

• This paste could be dried into small cakes for later use — useful during long travels.

3. Medicinal uses

• The aromatic fruit pulp was occasionally used:

  • As a digestive aid

  • Mixed with water for a mild refreshing drink

• Crushed leaves have a faint spicy fragrance and were sometimes used in cleansing washes.

4. Timber & practical uses

• Eupomatia has soft, easy-to-carve wood, traditionally used for:

  • Lightweight tools

  • Implements

  • Simple containers or carved items

Stories, Culture & Interesting Lore

1. One of the “oldest flowers on Earth”

• Eupomatia belongs to an ancient lineage predating bees.

• Its flowers are pollinated by tiny beetles, a living remnant of prehistoric pollination systems.

• For this reason, some Elders describe Bolwarra as a “story plant from the old world”, linking it to deep-time creation narratives.

2. The rainforest “spice fruit”

• The strong clove/ginger-like aroma meant the fruit was often used to flavour bland foods.

• Some stories note that the scent was believed to:

  • Lift spirits

  • Sharpen awareness during hunts

  • Be a “warming” fruit in cool rainforest seasons

3. A fruit hidden inside a flower

• The flower structure is unique: the petals fuse into a cap that pops off when the flower opens.

• Children were traditionally shown this transformation, making Bolwarra a teaching plant for plant lore and observation.

4. A sign of fertile rainforest

• Long-lived and moisture-loving, Eupomatia indicates:

  • Deep soils

  • Steady water

  • Mature rainforest canopy

Its presence signifies old, healthy country.

Modern Uses

1. Culinary — a chef’s dream ingredient

Eupomatia laurina is used today for its aromatic, spice-like flavour.

Popular modern uses include:

• Relishes

• Jams

• Fruit compotes

• Marinades

• Cocktails & syrups

• Ice creams and desserts

• Native-spice blends

Its flavour pairs especially well with:

• Citrus

• Ginger

• Finger lime

• Vanilla

• Chocolates

• Game meats

2. Bushfood & native-garden landscaping

• Attractive evergreen shrub

• Glossy, aromatic foliage

• Fruits readily in warm climates

Great for:

• Bush-tucker gardens

• Rainforest restoration plots

• Educational gardens

• Visitors who enjoy scent-based experiences

3. Perfumery & botanical curiosity

• The essential oils in the fruit and leaves are of interest for:

  • Botanical perfumery

  • Native spice research

  • Educational “aroma tours”

A wonderful plant to include in farm sensory walks.

Ecological Importance

Pollination

• Pollinated by tiny beetles — extremely rare in modern flora.

• Provides an important food source for detritivore and floral beetle species.

Wildlife that eat the fruit

• Fruit doves

• Possums

• Bowerbirds

• Fruit bats

They disperse the seeds across rainforest patches.

Habitat role

• Acts as an understory shrub stabilising soil.

• Provides shelter for insects, small frogs, and ground-nesting species.

Fire ecology

• Sensitive to fire but can reshoot from protected rootstock in low-intensity burns.

• More common in long-unburnt rainforest, making it an indicator of ecological continuity.