The Koori Curriculum Educator Community (fb group) has been sharing information about some of my favourite Australian native plants. I have decided to compile all the information to make it more accessible ongoingly for educators as a resource.
What is it?
Kakadu Plum
Where is it from?
Commonly found in the NT and WA
How can we use it?
- This fruit is edible. It can be eaten as is, dried or processed to make jam and salad dressings.
Interesting facts:
- It has 100 times more vitamin C than Oranges
What is it?
Davidsons Plum
Where is it from?
Can be found commonly in NSW and QLD
How can we use it?
The fruit is edible.
Interesting facts:
- There are variety of different types of Davidson Plums, some species have fruit that grow off the trunk rather than the branches.
Banksia
Romana Freeman you can dip the flower in water and lick like a lollipop
Centre like velvet and can be used as a paint brush
dried flower makes a good fire starter, women use to place them in their coolamon to keep warm and cook fish while fishing.
What is it?
Wattle
How can we use it?
Gabby Clappison Wattle - food, tools/weapons and medicine. A very valuable plant!
Gabby Clappison I live on Awabakal land (Lake Macquarie) they have been here as along as I can remember, we knew when winter was over as these little blossoms bloomed. They are fantastic to make bush toys with.
Aphie Healy ❤️ Acacia/wattle. Maybe covenyi or fimbriata? Bark can provide fibres for string and rope. (Bark can dye fabrics pink. String and fibres are probably red-pink too) Wood can be weapons like boomerangs and tools. Seeds can be ground and baked, or seed pods baked and eaten whole Depending on what type.
Emma Joy Cornwall the bark is pretty good for toothaches too :-)
Name that plant!
Warrigal Green
What is it?
A native spinach.
Where is it from?
Commonly found in the Sydney area.
How can we use it?
Julianne Wade Id say warrigal greens and i like nine lightly sautéed with a bit of sea salt and coconut oil
Suzie Parka Im taking a huge guess here. Warrigal Greens. They're native spinach. Can be used in making many dishes where you would use spinach. Many health benefits. I think they were Found around the Botany Bay area as well as other parts of East coast Australia.
Name that plant!
Christine Cave Kia’mia (Doryanthes excelsa)/ Gymea Lily.
Where is it from?
South of Sydney
How can we use it?
-Stem and roots for eating.
- Foliage for weaving.
Joanne Somerville Also, the flower is used as an indicator for the migration of whales. Leaves can be used to wrap food (along with paperbark) for cooking. The flower spike can be used for a fishing spear, as it is strong and floats
What is it?
Lomandra
How can we use it?
Kim Fenn-lavington Lomandra, used for a refreshing lift in your mouth, you only chew on the white bit, the seeds are used for grinding and making dough, basket weaving, whistle blowing to attract snakes to eat.
Jennifer Hall Lomandra, Bush Tucker, grinds it up in to flour an cook Johnny cakes ,weaving,our native plant.
Check out our Bush Tucker poster in our online shop. This is a great visual poster provocation for educators and helps identify some common Australian plants. On the back of the poster is more detailed information explain their different uses.
