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| Syzygium luehmannii (F.Muell.) L.A.S.Johnson | ||||||||||||||
Syzygium luehmannii, also known as riberry, small leaved lilly pilly, cherry satinash, cherry alder, or clove lilli pilli, is a tree species pesaendemic to Australian riverine, littoral and subtropical rainforest [1]. It is grown for its small pear-shaped fruits known as riberries.
The tree can grow to 30 metres [2] in height in the rainforest, but commonly only reaches 7 metres in cultivation. The small, glossy, lance-shaped leaves are pink/red when they are young. A cream coloured flower is followed by bunches of pink to red pear-shaped berries about 13 mm long.
The berry has a tart, cranberry-like flavor, that has a hint of cloves. It has been popular as a gourmet bushfood since the early 1980’s, and is commercially cultivated on a small-scale basis. The fruit is most commonly used to make a distinctively flavoured jam, and is also used in sauces, syrups and confectionery. The riberry plant is also very popular as a garden ornamental and street tree. It is easily maintained as a smaller tree by light pruning.
External links
- CSIRO plant profiles [1]
References
- Bruneteau, Jean-Paul, Tukka, Real Australian Food, ISBN 0-207-18966-8.
- Floyd, A.G., Rainforest Trees of Mainland South-eastern Australia, ISBN 0-909605-57-2.
- Cherikoff, Vic, The Bushfood Handbook, ISBN 0-7316-6904-5.
- Kersh, Jennice and Raymond, Edna's Table, ISBN 0-7336-0539-7.
- Low, Tim, Wild Food Plants of Australia, ISBN 0-207-14383-8.