SERIES 30 | Episode 18

Clarence shares some of his favourite native plants that not only look great, but taste great too! All of these “native nibbles” are great for the home garden and will do really well in pots – perfect for smaller spaces and apartment balconies. Native plants in pots require nothing more than a good, free-draining potting mix, an occasional feed with a diluted seaweed fertiliser and a nice layer of straw mulch…..just a little bit of PLC (Potted Loving Care!)



Murnong

Microseris sp.

Also known as Yam Daisies, this tuberous perennial herb was a staple food of many indigenous Australians. The tuber is not unlike a potato and can be baked, fried, ground to a paste for yam cakes, or even eaten raw (after they have been washed of course!). The yellow daisy-like flowers and grass like foliage are attractive and make this plant a perfect container specimen, indoors or out.

The seed can easily be harvested from these plants after flowering, with each seed head producing a number of fluffy seeds. Clarence collects these and places them in a sealed jar in the fridge for a week or two – this assists them to ripen up and prepare them for planting in Autumn or early Winter.



Finger Lime

Citrus australasica

Finger limes will generally thrive in a container, but, if they do require repotting, wait until fruiting has finished to minimise transplant shock and fruit drop. A great balcony plant, finger limes will flower in late summer to autumn, followed by the distinctive, cylindrical fruits which will ripen throughout winter and into spring. Once ripe, the fruit is spectacular – the small “caviar-like” beads held within the fruits are divine to look at, and even better to eat. Great in cocktails, preserves, with fish, as a garnish or fresh off the tree!



Warrigal Greens

Tetragonia tetragonoides

Another stunner in pots for the home garden is the Warrigal Greens, an excellent spinach substitute and tough native nibble. Able to grow easily from runners or cuttings, these tough, low-growing groundcovers are perennial, and will tolerate a range of conditions from full sun to part shade.



Karkalla

Carpobrotus rossii

A succulent sun-lover, the native Pigface is a great easy-to-grow groundcover and a tasty treat! The large, fleshy fruits are sweet, the flowers bright and showy, and the foliage edible and medicinal – the leaves can be rubbed on the skin to relieve bites from insects and mozzies in the garden. If pickling is your thing, you can absolutely pickle the fleshy foliage for a salty, sour snack. Growing in a range of locations, pots and even hanging baskets, this one’s a winner – the tip is a free-draining potting mix!



Davidson’s Plum

Davidsonia pruriens

If relishes and sauces are your thing, this Queensland and New South Wales rainforest tree is the one for you! Great in a shaded, protected spot, or even indoors, this tree has a naturally slender habit and is very attractive. The tart, sour, plum-shaped fruits ripen in early summer and are borne on the trunk of the plant, which is a stunning site to see!