It is such a scraggly looking tree! It's small ... it only grows to around 4-10 metres high ... with rough, grey, slightly fissured bark.
The leaves are egg-shaped or spatula-shaped, tapering to the base, shiny light green above, dull beneath, and are rather soft and leathery to the touch. This tree is deciduous in the 'dry' season and the leaves turn rusty-orange before falling.
The flowering period is from late spring (September) through the summer (December to February). While each flower is truly outstanding, the flowering tree is really not that spectacular. Only a few flowers are produced at a time and you have to be 'in the know' to spot them as they open in the evening and fall by the next morning leaving a carpet of flowers on the ground.
Flowers are large, white and fleshy with numerous long pink and white stamens.
A terrific thing about this bloom is the way it opens ...it has a spiral action as it opens.
Many parts of the plant were also used for a wide range of medicinal purposes by the Aboriginal people. One example ... the Aborigines used a concoction made from the bark to clean wounds such as burns and ulcers. The bark ... which contains something called Saponin ... was also used as a fish poison. It was pounded and thrown into pools of water, killing the fish which could then be eaten without any ill-effect.
The common name ... Cocky Apple ... came about because the fruit is readily eaten by cockatoos and looks a little like a green apple. While the Cocky Apple tree is very, very common in the bushland here, you won't find this tree in any nursery ... it has never been cultivated for the nursery market. You will have to visit my part of the world to catch a glimpse of this unusual specimen.
Wow, right off I wanted to know what the bloom in your header was and then you gave the info. A native exclusive to your area, how wonderful is that! Thank you for sharing this exotic beauty that most of us will never see in person. I love the spiral action of the bloom opening.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
What an interesting tree and great pictures - the blooms are amazing and the common name too cute!
ReplyDeleteSpectacular flower! Love the way you described how it unfolds. Those stamens look so delicate and beautiful. I guess you have to stay late to capture the beauty of this bloom.
ReplyDeleteAlways looking for 'Australians' I can fit into my little plot!
ReplyDeleteWon't be able to consider this guy, tho.
Can't get enough of the blogs coming out of Australia at present.
Greatly enjoy what you have to say,
Cheers!
Alice
aka Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel
Hi Bernie,
ReplyDeleteAs always an interesting post from you. A fascinating plant and great photos
cheers Ian
What an interesting post! The flowers of the Cocky Apple are so pretty, and I was fascinated to read about their spiral action while opening. Thanks for sharing:-)
ReplyDeleteI still can't get enough of this beautiful flower Bernie! One day I might see it for real!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous flower. I love seeing photos of the beautiful Australian plants and this one is one of my new favorites :^)
ReplyDeleteThanks one and all for your kind comments ... this is definitely one of the more interesting natives that grows here.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you have captured the beauty of the flower in various stages and the seed pods! Beautiful... I would want to grow your Cocky Apple! It is so cool to watch a flower unfurl... many do so in a spiral... there are so many spiral in nature. Lovely post Bernie! ;>)
ReplyDeleteWOW WOW and WOW!For the first impression your blog makes; for the subject of this post (I guess one needs to know DRY to really appreciate the beauty of some plants - and in our varied climates I have come to love DRY. This is a beautiful tree!)And a third WOW for your photographic skills. I'll be back! Jack
ReplyDeleteHello - I think I have seen and eaten this fruit before - in CA we called it "Pineapple Guava" and it's a bulletproof landscaping stalwart in the CA heat and drought. I adore the fruit - a sweet custardy flavor with a jasmine-like flavor. Wish they would grow in my new Washington State, US home area!! I used to walk my dog with a dear lady on the paths behind her home in Sonoma Valley, CA and the Pineapple Guava shrubs were laden with fruit. We brought along an old pillowcase and filled it with fallen fruits that we each enjoyed for weeks. The fruit is very stable on a countertop indoors for quite a while so no need for preserving. Just cut in half when soft and scoop with a spoon - delicious!! Thanks for the great info and great memories! Cheers, Bonnie
ReplyDeletealoha bernie,
ReplyDeletei wonder if this is related to the feijoa/pineapple guava...the fruit looks the same and its delicious...the flowers are bright red...beautiful blooms, its so delicate - wouldn't it be amazing if they last longer than just one night? i'm glad you got to explain your header photo, i was always fascinated by that pic...thanks for sharing
that is a fascinating bloom. thank you for sharing with us!
ReplyDeleteFantastic blooms, surprisingly large for such a delicate flower. Too bad they're so fleeting.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind stocking my tackle box with some bark.
Always a joy to visit gardens from around the world, I'm delighted you came over for a visit, Bernie. I would never have found this lovely site. Your header and final photos are amazing!
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie and Noel ... I looked up 'Pineapple Guava' and you're both right... the fruit does look remarkably similar. The blooms of the guava are more beautiful though ... just stunning.
ReplyDeleteJoey ... thanks for the visit. It's fun tripping around the world visiting very different gardens ... I'm certainly enjoying popping in to visit gardens, like yours, and gardeners, like yourself. Such fun!
ReplyDeleteWiseacre ... I had to chuckle at your comment as my hubbie said the same thing when I told him about the way the Aborigines used the bark! Would save a lot of money if you didn't have to but bait!
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers, story and blog
ReplyDeleteI am so taken with your header photo~very lovely. Cocky Apple is quite different from anything in my wilderness garden in TN~~including the cockatoos! gail
ReplyDeleteBeautiful plant especially the flower. I wonder if it would grow down south in Aussie. I am always trying to build my bush tucker garden. Hey with climate change it seems to be getting warmer down here all the time.
ReplyDeleteBush Chick.
I live in the rural area of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. We have several Cocky Apple trees growing on our block. It is a lovely tree and I enjoy the seasonal changes of this tree. The flowers and fruits in the months leading up to Christmas. I am interested in finding out more about how the aboriginal people used it's medicinal properties.
ReplyDeleteJohanne February 03 2018