Everyone is familiar with easy-to-grow edible plants such as mint, rosemary, thyme, and other herbs, but did you know there are a range of native Australian plants that are also edible and can be easily grown at home? These plants are versatile and flavoursome and can be incorporated into a variety of modern dishes.
Syzyguim luehmannii SMALL LEAVED LILLY PILLY OR RIBERRY
The attractive red fruit of this ornamental small tree is a popular ingredient in many wild food dishes. It is now being harvested commercially.
Eugenia reinwardtiana BEACH CHERRY
The bright red fruit of this small shrub ripens between August and March. It is good to eat, being succulent and sweet.
Diospyros ferrea SEA EBONY
Edible, sweet-tasting, deep red fruit which ripens in summer
Syzygium Australe 
With its purplish fruit one of the best of the Lilly Pilly group. It can be eaten raw or as a jam.
Freycinetia Scandens CREEK SANDPAPERS FIG
Bright red fruit resembling strawberries ripens in winter. It is eaten raw.rigines to give a smooth finish to their weapons.
Dianella congesta – FLAX LILLY
The shiny, dark blue berries are edible. Aborigines ate the roots after pounding and roasting them on hot rocks. They used the fibre from the tough leaves to make baskets and nets.
Acronychia Imperforta FRASER ISLAND APPLE
Juicy bright orange fruit which ripens in Winter and Spring, have a sharp-tasting edible flesh. This is a hardy, ornamental shrub or small tree for the seaside garden.
Austromyrtus Dulcis MIDYIM
Occurring in sandy coastal areas of Northern NSW and Southern QLD. This small shrub produces pretty white flowers in spring and summer. These are followed by edible, mauve white speckled berries which are quite delicious.
Alpinia caerulea NATIVE GINGER
All parts of this plant are edible, raw or cooked. The pulp of the blue fruit is pleasantly acidic and the seed is ginger flavoured. Aborigines wrapped the leaves around meat to be cooked in an earthen oven. The young root tips are gingery and tender.
Carpobrotus glaucescens PIG FACE
Fruits of this fleshy creeper of the sand dunes ripen in Summer and autumn. They have a delicious salty-apple flavour.
Cordyline manners suttoniae A PALM LILLY
Occurring in sandy coastal areas of Northern NSW and South-ern QLD. This small shrub produces pretty white flowers in spring and summer. These are followed by edible, mauve white speckled berries which are quite delicious.
Ficus coronata CREEK SANDPAPER FIG
The dark purple fruit is very tasty when fully ripe. Peel off the hairy skin before eating the soft, pulpy seed mass. The sandpapery leaves were used by aborigines to give a smooth finish to their weapons.
Planchonia careya COCKY APPLE
A common tree of northern eucalypt forests. Aborigines ate the large, green, egg-shaped fruit roasted or raw. Bark and roots were pounded to use a fish poison. Strong fibre from the bark was spun to make string for nets and belts.
Microcitrus australisica FINGER LIME
Green cylindrical fruit with a similar flavour to round limes.
Davidsonia pruriens DAVIDSON’S PLUM
The purple egg shape fruit ripens in Autumn. It has a tangy flavour and is delicious stewed with sugar. Good for jam and winemaking.
Pleiogynium timorense BUDEKIN PLUM
The purple-black fruit is edible when completely ripe and fallen to the ground. Aborigines buried the fruit in sand until it was ready to eat. An excellent jam is made from the fruit.
Planchonella australis BLACK APPLE
The dark purple fruit is very tasty when fully ripe. Peel off the hairy skin before eating the soft, pulpy seed mass. The sandpapery leaves were used by aborigines to give a smooth finish to their weapons.