Botanical Name: Pouteria australis
Family: Sapotaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Ericales
Genus: Pouteria
Species: P. australis
Synonyms: Planchonella australis
Common Names: Black apple, Wild plum, Yellow buttonwood, Black plum and Yellow bulletwood.
Habitat:Balck Apple is native to rain forest.It is a fruit from Australia. It grows there wild in the rain forests of Queensland and New South Wales. The fruits are edible but not very tasty.
Description:
Planchonella australis is a species of hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs).
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. A slow growing medium to large sized tree with dense timber, growing upto 30 m tall.
Leaves obovate, ovate or elliptic, mostly 8–16 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, apex obtuse or bluntly pointed, base tapering, thick and leathery, upper surface shiny, lower surface paler green, secondary and fine veins distinct and raised on both surfaces; petiole 5–10 mm long.
Flowers usually axillary, solitary or few-flowered clusters; white, 5 petals, singly or in clusters, protogynous.
Fruit obovoid or globose, 20–60 mm long, purplish or black, resembling plums. and Seeds 2-5, 2 cm long, brown and shiny with a whitish elongate scar.
Black Apple (aka. Yellow Buttonwood) is the largest of all the local bush tucker fruits. The actual fruits resemble apples or plums in both size and appearance, and may be eaten raw, direct from the tree when ripe. It is a rainforest species native to Queensland and New South Wales, prized as one of the best carving woods in Australia.
The first flowers are female, appearing in the Spring, with male flowers following shortly after. The fruit darkens as it ripens, turning shiny and purplish-blue or black in Summer (September to November). Its fibrous white flesh is tinged with purple-red hues and is sweet to the taste. Each fruit contains 3-5 brown seeds, 2cm long.
Black Apple is mostly used fresh, and makes for great pies and cobblers. The fruit can also be used for juice, vinegar or cider. After harvesting, the flavour is predominantly sweet and tart.
As a rainforest tree, the Black Apple may be grown in full sun or part shade, but protect from the afternoon Summer sun while it’s still young. It prefers soil with good drainage, and responds well to good soil moisture and extra fertilising.
In its native rainforest conditions, it can grow up to 25m in height, but will likely reach between 10-15m in a domestic garden. With adequate pruning, it may be kept in a pot.
CLICK & SEE THE PICTURE OF BLACK APPLE
Edible Uses:
Fruit -eaten raw. Some forms are quit sweet. The purplish or black, obovoid or globose fruit is 20 – 60mm long, containing 2 – 5 seeds that are each around 20mm long.
Cultivation:
A plant mainly of the subtropical regions of eastern Australia, just entering into the tropical regions in southern Queensland. The tree is slow-growing when young. Spacing: 12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m) 15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m).
Medicinal Uses: No significant medicinal uses are found.
Cultivation:
A plant mainly of the subtropical regions of eastern Australia, just entering into the tropical regions in southern Queensland. The tree is slow-growing when young[694 ]. Spacing: 12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m) 15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m).
Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pouteria_australis
https://tuckerbush.com.au/black-apple-pouteria-australis/
http://www.fruitipedia.com/2018/12/black-apple_pouteria-australis/
https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Planchonella+australis
