The Pepper bush originates in the cool temperate forests of Antarctica when it was attached to Australia and South America.

Tasmannia insipida leaves are simple, narrow, 8-20 cm long and 5-35 mm wide, glossy, narrowing to a point, arranged in clustered spirals but they sparse in areas of low light. Flowers are creamy-white in color with 2 or 3 petals, 5-10 mm long, hermaphrodite, born in terminal umbels from August – September.

The Pepper bush fruits are 10-20 mm long, solitary, mauve or purplish in color, soft with numerous little black seeds, edible but missing real taste. Fruit is ready during September to November. The many tiny black seeds taste like freshly ground black pepper. In Tasmania the seeds are traded as native pepper.

Plant propagation is by seeds and cuttings. It is slow growing plant. It can grow in semi-shade or full sun. It requires moist soil. Tasmannia insipida is a member of the family Winteraceae the genus Drimys.

Pepper bush, Tasmannia insipida

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Pepper Bush – Tasmannia insipida is a post from: Fruit and Nut Trees

Exocarpos cupressiformis has the general visual aspect of a conifer with attractive, elegant, weeping foliage of yellowish-green to dark green in color. Leaves are minimized to small triangular scales; 2-3 mm long on new growth and the stems is the site where photosynthesis takes place.

Flowering is throughout the year but primarily October-May. Flowers are small, cream-yellow in color, unnoticeable, arranged in clusters on 6 mm long spikes, followed by the fruit. ; Usually, only 1 flower in each spike fertile.

The fruit of the Native Cherry is a spherical nut on a short stalk. As it matures the stalk swells and turns red, like an inside out cherry. The fruit is edible, juicy, roundish 5-6 mm long, commonly bright red. The seed is found on the outside of the fruit, hence the name exocarpus.

Tree Propagation and establishment is difficult due to the parasitic nature of the plant. The hard seed is difficult to germinate. Exocarpos cupressiformis is a member of the Santalaceae family the genus Exocarpos.

Native Cherry, Exocarpos cupressiformis

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This upright scrambler has hostile sharp thorns, 0.5-2.5 cm long, frequently longer than leaves on juvenile plants, along its branches that can be dangerous. Maclura cochinchinensis leaves are oblong to elliptic, generally 3-8 cm long, on 1cm leaf stalk, smooth and with a short pointed apex.

Flowering takes place in April-May. Male inflorescence 6-8 mm in diameter, female inflorescence are velvety, on a stalk up to 1 cm. Flowers are yellow, 2-6 mm long on peduncle at the base of leaves.

The 1-2 cm in diameter Cockspur Thorn fruit is soft, orange and contains several black seeds. It is an irregularly-shaped berry as large as a small custard apple, edible and of a pleasing taste. Fruit mature in December to January. The fruit is also popular with varied birds and reptiles.

Plant propagation is by seed. Seeds germinate easily and dependably within a few weeks. Maclura cochinchinensis is a member of the family Moraceae the genus Maclura. The plant could be employed cautiously as a barrier plant and as nesting habitat for small birds.

Cockspur Thorn, Maclura cochinchinensis

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Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia leaves are either deeply compound or pinnate and from 40-100 cm long. The plant flowers generally in winter time. Flowers are actinoid, born in pairs, heavily sweet-scented. Perianths are tubular, 10-15 mm long, purplish brown. The axis of con-florescence is commonly 15-35 cm long.

The Red Bopple Nut produces fleshy, red fruits during spring and summertime. Fruits are drupe-like, ovoid, 2-4 cm long, indehiscent, fleshy, red, furrowed on one side, containing a large almond-sized kernel (nut). Red Bopple Nut has a flavor akin to that of Macadamias and can be employed for similar purposes. The tree bears relatively high quantities of high quality nuts.

Tree propagation is by seeds but is only briefly viable. Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia is hard to establish as seedlings are prone to various disorders. In reality, poor seedling establishment and poor development limit the potentiality of this species. Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia is a member of the Proteaceae family the genus Hicksbeachia.

Red Bopple Nut, Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia

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Ogbono nut has commonly a straight trunk up to 100 cm in diameter, with smooth, grey to yellow-grey external bark and yellow, fibrous inner bark. The tree creates a spherical and dense crown. The trees yield a hard wood, valuable in construction and for making ships’ decks.

Irvingia gabonensis leaves are alternate, simple and entire, 4-8cm long and 2-4cm wide, somawhat leathery and pinnately veined. Blossoming is on axillary panicle up to 9 cm long. Flowers are bisexual, small, 3-4 mm long, yellowish white in color.

Fruit is an edible mango like ellipsoidal to cylindrical drupe, at times almost spherical, smooth and green when mature. Pulp is bright orange, soft, juicy, sweet with a few light fibers and a single ligneous nut. Fruit is generally consumed fresh. It can be also employed for the preparation of juice, jelly, jam and wine and to develop a black dye for textile.

The subtly aromatic Ogbono nuts are generally dried in the sun for saving, and are sold whole or in powder form. They can be ground to a paste known diversely as Dika bread or Gabon chocolate. Their high content of gum enables Ogbono nuts to be used as a thickening agent for dishes such as Ogbono soup. The nuts can also be pressed for vegetable oil.

Tree propagation is by seed. Growth in young plants is very slow at the start but it becomes fairly fast later on. Irvingia gabonensis favors moist lowland tropical forests below 1000 m altitude and with yearly rainfall of 1500-3000 mm and mean yearly temperatures of 25-32°C. Irvingia gabonensis is a member of the family Irvingiaceae the genus Irvingia. No diseases or pest have been registered.

Ogbono Nut, Irvingia gabonensis

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