Australian foraging

**trollchicken** · 02-08-2015, 03:44 AM

if anyone would like to ask questions about australian edibles here is the spot

**trollchicken** · 02-08-2015, 05:04 AM

i was just wondering if wild australian blackberries are edible

**crashdive123** · 02-08-2015, 08:56 PM

So hang on a second......

You start a thread so that members can ask you about Australian wild edibles and then you ask yourself a question about Australian wild edibles?

Kind of weird, but to each their own I guess.

**hunter63** · 02-08-2015, 09:13 PM

So....like who all is from Australia these days?

I though that was weird as well......?

**trollchicken** · 02-09-2015, 01:28 AM

i made this thread so that anyone including myself can discuss Australian wild edibles.

**crashdive123** · 02-09-2015, 08:14 AM

Thanks - now I understand.

**kyratshooter** · 02-09-2015, 09:38 AM

Easy enough for Australia!

Everything there sticks you, stings you, bites you, or is poisonous, and don't drink the water.

**TXyakr** · 02-09-2015, 01:52 PM

I don't follow the logic of why a species of fruit from a plant would suddenly become inedible simply because it was grown in a particular part of the world where it was not native to or allegedly had a more harsh climate? Perhaps if I did enough meth or banged my head on some hard rocks this would make more sense to me. "Not ganna do it, wouldn't be prudent"

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agricultur...les/blackberry

New South Wales:
I do understand the logic of the government of NSW: that these invasive plants are "weeds" however. I foolishly planted some in my yard, and they are indeed difficult to eradicate. I should have planted the thornless cultivars. But perhaps I was dropped on my head as an infant because I thought the ones with thorns might taste better. ha ha ha what a fool am I

TrollDontFeed.jpg

Are you asking about Rubus fruticosus agg. species or something totally different?

A forum administrator can use internet utilities like "finger" "route trace" and "lookup" to and many other online services to find out if you are actually in Australian and even where exactly you are located. I can pinpoint the location of just about anyone on the internet to the street and home number, be they at the local library, starbucks, home, work or wherever. Not a threat of any sort just a little FYI. If some Bubba in Texas can do this a Bunch of other folks can too. Best not too mess around. I sure hope you were not.

**Rick** · 02-09-2015, 03:24 PM

What get's us into trouble are common names and/or regional lexicons or idioms. What might be blackberries in the U.S. may not be the same plant elsewhere.

**TXyakr** · 02-09-2015, 04:45 PM

There are 10 know NATIVE species of Rubus (blackberry and related) in Australia ALL of which are edible by humans unless of coarse you happen to be allergic to them.

R. parvifolius (native raspberry)

R. gunnianus Hook. (alpine Tasmania)

R. moorei (silky bramble)

R. rosifolius

R. queenslandicus

R. probus

R. x novus

R. moluccanus var. moluccanus

R. moluccanus var. trilobus

R. nebulosus

source for more very useful info if you actually live down under on where to find these, what they look like etc:
http://www.weeds.org.au/WoNS/blackbe...ual-part-2.pdf

Poisonous plants of Australia:

http://anpsa.org.au/APOL7/sep97-4.html

http://www.australiangeographic.com....sonous-plants/

One of the most important things I learned during the hundreds of hours of training as a Master Gardener was how to find useful and reliable information. Also my lifelong friends who now live in Australia and NZ tell me they do not know of any actual black berries that are poisonous there but that does not mean that there are not any. So let us know if you find any.

BTW most of the other species of Rubus are native to Europe, Asia, North and South America.

**Rick** · 02-09-2015, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Txyakr

that does not mean that there are not any. So let us know if you find any.

Ummm. If he eats some and dies it's gonna be kinda hard to let us know.

I'm not sure where you got your Master Garden training but mine was like 3 hours one night a week for six weeks plus 35 hours community service.

**hunter63** · 02-09-2015, 05:42 PM

All I had to do was submit my name, address and agree to grow provided seeds....and log in plant dates, days to maturity and harvest dates.....and yield.

Got some cool little diplomas bunch of seeds and the Master Gardeners phone number to ask question ...of the class members.

I have them freaking blackberries everywhere, have no idea what family or type.....but it the only thing that I need a machete for.

Note.....Like many wild forgeable plants......these are only available in ripe form for a few weeks, and you must compete with other animals, birds, and insects to make use of them.
Also note, that just because something is poison and won't kill you....might not taste to good.

Wild blackberries tastes real good....if you can get enough at any one time, and fight the 'skeeters ......

**Sarge47** · 02-09-2015, 09:05 PM

I hear that Veg-a-mite is really nasty, but I don't know if Dingos taste good, do you?....

**trollchicken** · 02-10-2015, 04:22 AM

you can eat dingoes but i'm pretty sure it wouldn't taste very nice.

**trollchicken** · 02-10-2015, 04:26 AM

it is good advice to not drink the water because it can contain lots of bacteria and diseases eg. giardia.But you can treat the water with lots of different techniques such as water filtration, i myself use iodine drops it works really well but it does make your water taste a little funny.

**crashdive123** · 02-10-2015, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by trollchicken

it is good advice to not drink the water because it can contain lots of bacteria and diseases eg. giardia.But you can treat the water with lots of different techniques such as water filtration, i myself use iodine drops it works really well but it does make your water taste a little funny.

If Giardia is your concern, be careful with iodine. It is not all that effective on it.

Two of many sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11990150

http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drin...treatment.html

**TXyakr** · 02-10-2015, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

Ummm. If he eats some and dies it's gonna be kinda hard to let us know.

I'm not sure where you got your Master Garden training but mine was like 3 hours one night a week for six weeks plus 35 hours community service.

Not all states have the same requirements. Some states and counties take theirs far more seriously, and some Certified Master Gardeners choose to attend far more training classes and conventions with classes than others. Some take classes at local colleges and universities. A very good friend of mine whom I have camped with is a Professor at TAMU in College Station, TX and was for several years in charge of the Texas extension agrilife master gardener program administrated from there.

According to the Poison Control Center and CDC most people who consume poisonous plants do not actually die from them. They just get ill and then recover, this is why as Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists we teach plant identification and tell people to CALL THE POISON HELP LINE!!!

1 (800) 222-1222
American Association of Poison Control Centers

DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?

**TXyakr** · 02-10-2015, 12:55 PM

Various species and cultivars of the genus Ligustrum (their berries are "black" when mature) on all continents of the world except Antarctica (as far as I know) are considered to be poisonous to humans and most other mammals but not most birds. The seeds and "black berries" of these are "pooped out" by birds on my properties and all over the world especially in Eastern Australian and New Zealand. See Citations below. This gives me practice hacking brush with blades like machetes and hatchets so OK with me. BUT I DO NOT EAT THEM!

Quote about one common species from Utah State University (hey that area is similar to parts of Australia!!):
"Lodense Privet, Ligustrum vulgare, have white odorous flowers and black berries are attractive and palatable for birds, however the berries and parts of the plants are poisonous to mammals, including cattle, cats, dogs, and humans."
http://extension.usu.edu/htm/faq/faq_q=2491

However, parts of Eastern Australia (NSW) and NZ have climate with a few similarities to central and eastern Texas. Australia as those who have actually been there know has very divers climate and flora.

Penn State Vet Med:
"Although poisoning is rare, humans (children), as well as horses, sheep, and cattle, have suffered from consumption of Ligustrum."
I.e. most grown adult humans and even animals are not that freaking stupid!
http://research.vet.upenn.edu/Poison...5/Default.aspx

Wikipedia also has a long extensive write up on this if you Googled black berries in Australia

**TXyakr** · 02-10-2015, 02:49 PM

There are many good articles in books and magazines and online about Aboriginal Australia "firestick" agriculture which is mostly foraging for native plants and animals. Here is one of many:

http://austhrutime.com/agriculture.htm

A few notable items to read up on in detail depending on the area you are camping/surviving in are:

Yams

Fruit trees (for example: "The fruit of the cycad Macrozamia was exploited as an important food source in spite of its being highly toxic and carcinogenic. The Aborigines had developed methods of removing the toxins that allowed the cycad fruit to become a rich food source. Different groups had different methods of removing the toxins, but they all achieved the same end, an edible, sustaining, fruit.")

wild millet (Panicum decompositum)

Various Pine nuts such as
PINE NUT TREE Pinus pinea "The kernels can be eaten raw, roasted or prepared into sweet meats, cakes, puddings, stuffings, soups and of course the most popular usage is the Italian gourmet PESTO."

Parinari nonda is a small tree in the family Chrysobalanaceae in northern Australia. The edible fruits may be harvested in the wild. Favorite food of Australia's palm cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus). Also OK for human consumption, the fruit not the bird or you may get arrested especially if it is someone's pet. LOL But I imagine if put in a pressure cooker and tenderized the parrot could be edible. OH I am only joking. Don't flame me, but that is how my mother cooked Toucans. They looked like scrawny chocolate chickens, would have been better with yams, pine nuts and a bowl of millet and palm fruit for dessert. Hey I'm hungry now! ha ha ha

Edit: not all pine nuts are edible by humans
There are over 100 species in the genus Pinus, however only 29 different species listed as being cultivated for human consumption so use common sense as with all foraging and be certain of your ID skills.

International Species list here, no edible pine nuts are native to Australia, but many have been introduced there and grow wild (invasive) there:
http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/...ing_issues.pdf

Watch out for "pine mouth"! LOL

dog-chewing-pinecone.jpg

I bought a bag of pine cones from China to pay fetch with my dog, he got "pine mouth" real bad. ha ha ha.
Next time I will make sure they are organically grown "stone pines" from Italy, I fear all pine cones in the wild least the be cross pollinated, OH i'm just being silly. ha ha ha

**Batch** · 02-10-2015, 11:10 PM

Cycads were a very important starch plant in Florida. The Timucuan and Calusa used it and taught its use to the Miccosukee and Seminole. The Seminole and Miccosukee taught early white settlers and the whites set up mills at Fort Lauderdale and the rapids near Fort Dallas on the Miami River. One mill in South Florida was processing 18 tons of Coontie a day for the military during WWI.

But, cycads are toxic (cycasin) and even after leaching the toxins there may be long term health impacts.

http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/Pl...cad/toxic.html

Most of us who study wild plant use only consume small quantities. So. I wouldn't worry about experimenting.