Exocarpus strictus

Pale Ballart

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family: Santalaceae
Genus: Exocarpus
Life cycle: perennial
Foliage: evergreen
Woodiness: woody
Flower type: hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

Fruit stalk - sweet and palatable when fully ripe, astringent otherwise^[1]^[2]^[3]. Rather small, it is about 3 - 4mm in diameter^[4].

Plant part: Fruit

Environment

Range: Australia - New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria.
Habitat: River banks or poor clay soils^[2]. Heaths and dry sclerophyll forests^[4].
Light: full sun
Shade tolerance: light shade
Water: moderate
Soil textures: sandy, loamy
Soil pH: acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage: well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil: No
Drought: intolerant

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but would recommend sowing it in spring in a warm greenhouse in a pot that contains a suitable host.

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in this country. It is likely to require a light well-drained soil and a sunny sheltered position. It is a root parasite, we do not know which species it parasitizes.

References

Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4
↩
Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.
↩1 ↩2
Low. T. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-207-14383-8
↩
Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0730104001
↩1 ↩2

Edit this page