QUANDONGS

Santalum acuminatum

This one year old quandong seedling is doing well on my farm

A quandong tree as seen in cultivation. This attractive specimen was photographed in a very dry location in South Australia

Close up of the quandong fruits. These attractive fruits are also called the native peach

Quandong seeds are round and pitted. They are very hard and difficult to crack without a vice

Quandong trees growing in very dry areas look a little messy, but seem to cope well with extended drought conditions. This tree would benefit from a prune and some irrigation. Unfortunately this luxury is not always available in remote desert areas

Home made quandong jam is distinctive in appearance and quite delicious

The past two years since purchasing the farm have seen no relief from drought conditions and it appears likely that I will need to adapt to a much drier climate in the future.

Native Peach Of Australia

As a result, future crops for the farm may need to be able to survive with an annual rainfall less than 300 mm. The quandong or native peach is one of the crops suited to low rainfall areas in Australia that I will be testing on the farm.

An Emerging Crop

This tree growing from 2 to 6 metres has been planted in large numbers throughout the drier parts of southern Australia and research work is developing new varieties as well as the best cultural practices for this emerging crop. It is a particularly attractive plant when fruits ripen, and it would make an excellent garden tree in city gardens if grown with care in its early stages.

Thriving With Companion Plant

The quandong is unusual in that it benefits from surrounding vegetation drawing, nutrients and moisture from specially adapted roots. This semi-parasitic plant tends to thrive when planted with a suitable companion plant - most often another desert plant such as a wattle tree or another native shrub.

A Fruit With Increasing Range Of Uses

Yellow to red fruits from 2 to 3 cm in diameter contain a round pitted seed, coated with a thin whitish to brown flesh. The flesh has a tart flavour and can be eaten fresh or preserved by drying. There is an increasing range of uses for this fruit including; jams, preserves, sauces and flavourings and as an additive to liqueurs and beverages. The seed kernel is also edible, but lacks any real flavour.

Quandong Root Care

An important requirement for the quandong is good soil drainage. A build up of soil moisture can lead to root rots and weakened tree growth, however, careful irrigation in dry areas will lead to improved crop yields. Some insect pests that attack fruits need to be controlled in plantations, but this would not be a great concern in the home garden.

Quandong In My Hobby Farm

The tree develops an attractive grey- green canopy typical of many drought tolerant species. Sprays of small white flowers appear in summer leading to a mature crop in spring. Seed germination can be a hit and miss affair, but I have had some success after cracking the hard seeds in a vice then germinating the kernels in moist, sterile vermiculite. The seeds need to be kept at about 15degrees Celsius and stored in a dark place until germination occurs.

As there are many uncertainties to be investigated with growing quandongs on my farm, I plan to experiment with a range of seedlings, and hopefully some hardy specimens will survive long enough in order to produce my first crop a few years from now.