Is this a lilly pilly?
I have this tree in my backyard and the fruit is starting to turn pink. I have never done anything to the tree so there are no sprays used. It is in the back corner of the yard so is fairly neglected. It gets water when the reticulation is on but as we are under water restrictions, that is not too often.
Does anyone know if there are any varieties that you shouldn't eat. I know very little about them, in fact I didn't even really know what they were until someone pointed them out to me. She called the 'something-or-other apples'.
Any suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated.
Take care
To my knowledge it is a lilly pilly. I'm still yet to play with them though, so can't give you any other info. Julie at Towards Sustainability made some lilly pilly jam recently and Mariana from Through my kitchen window has an exstensive post on how to use them in her archives.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Yes, I think its lilly pilly. I have eaten ours straight from tree, but haven't dabbled in jam.
ReplyDeletecityhippyfarmgirl, thanks for the links. I will certainly go through and have a look. I don't think I have read Through Me Kitchen Window so it is really great to get another reference. Thanks a lot.
ReplyDeleteDuchess, that is great to know as the tree is about to go crazy with fruit. I don't tend to get out there and have a good look at it regularly but I will make sure I do now I know they can be eaten. I used to think they were just decorative and would rake them up and get rid of them. What a waste!
Hello. I'm dying to know where you live. I live in south east queensland and we have a house in the suburbs and a farm in the hinterland. There is a red lilly pilly tree in our front yard. On the farm we have a pink fruited lilly pilly and we only recently discovered a purple lilly pilly - although the fellows in my house after extensive research on the internet say it is actually called a purple cherry. But it is a lilly pilly.
ReplyDeleteI adore the lilly pilly. They are distinctly local and native and the fruit are stunning. In pioneer days, they were the fruits that were used for jams, jellies, even cakes believe it or not. I don't recommend making a jam out of them. I did. It took ages to remove the little beardy bits and then the pips inside. Ages!!! Jelly is the best way to go. The colour is divine and the flavour unique. I gave a jar to one friend recently who said she wasn't fond of the lilly pilly. She used it for sweet intentions. I asked her to try it with savoury meat. She did at christmas time with the turkey. She loved it. I think it works particularly well with lamb.
Anyhow, I could go on. I hope you enjoy your experiences with the lilly pilly as much as I have with mine. I really enjoyed my latest efforts and story with the purple cherry. Cheerio. Would love to know how you go! Mariana
Ps: almost forgot to say, yes, the fruit in your picture looks like the lilly pilly.
Mariana, thanks for all of the information.
ReplyDeleteI live in the south west of Western Australia on a suburban block. We are quite near the coast.
After reading all you had to tell me I think that jelly is definitely the way to go. The recipe looks so simple. I was worried there may be some gelatine involved, but no!
I am really looking forward to the tree starting to bear more fruit. Shouldn't be long now. I will keep you up to date with how it is all going.
Thanks again, and thanks cityhippyfarmgirl.
Your welcome. I look forward to reading about your lilly pilly pursuits. It's all fun. Remember failures are never really failures. They are learning experiences and they should never stop us from having another go. I know this only too well. Good Luck. Mariana
ReplyDeleteThrough My Kitchen Window, I am a strong believer in learning from mistakes. It is such a thrill having realised the tree was actually something I could do something with. I can't believe I wasted the last 5 years just cursing it for dropping the fruit.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photo! What a beautiful colour...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dixiebelle. They are so vibrant. I can't wait to get a big crop of them.
ReplyDeleteThey are so pretty and yes are lilly pilly fruit. If you want to know what species of lilly pilly I might be able to asist if you can post some pics of the entire tree with some close ups of the leaves. Lilly pilly fruit can be made into jelly, sauces, dressings, marinades, cordials and chutneys.
ReplyDeleteOh, Fiona. I certainly will get some more photos. I'll do in on the weekend as it is RAINING here! Yah. I don't remember the last time it rained.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm..they sound a lot like a crabapple tree.
ReplyDelete