In Australia, we have more than 5000 species of edible native plants. However, if you asked the average Australian to name some, they may struggle to get past macadamia and lemon myrtle.
Why aren’t these incredible plants, herbs and spices more integrated into our food culture? Issues such as access, cultural sensitivity and supply are all potential barriers.
However, as more and more chefs embrace these fantastic native ingredients, it’s only a matter of time before they become more than a tokenistic garnish and are enthusiastically incorporated into our cuisine.
EMBRACING EDIBLE NATIVES
The examples you see on these pages are only the tip of the iceberg. We have a whole array of edible coastal succulents, eucalypts such as strawberry gum, fruit species such as finger limes, lemon aspen, quandong, Davidson plum and bush tomatoes, plus many more herbs and spices, including anise myrtle and cinnamon myrtle.
Our edible natives celebrate seasonality and respect for our local environment and connect us with our land and food culture. They need less water and
