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April

Davidson Plum

Common Name: NSW Davidson Plum;
Qld Davidson Plum; Queensland Itchtree, Ooray
Smooth Davidsonia;
Botanical Name: Davidsonia jerseyana (F. Muell. Ex F.M. Bailey) G. Harden & J.B. Williams
Davidsonia pruriens (F. Muell.)
Davidsonia johnsonii J.B. Williams &G. Harden
Part Used: Fruit; Fruit pulp
Photos Davidson Plum flowering Davidson Plum flowering
foliage Davidson plum fruiting
Seasonality: NSW Davidson plum is available fresh in summer, QLD Davidson plum ripens in winter, frozen fruits or fruit puree is available all year.
Nutritional Values:
Energy H2O Protein Fat Carbohydrates Total Sugar Fibre
264kJ / 100gm 78.2 gm / 100 gm 1.0 gm / 100 gm 0.2 gm / 100 gm 14.3 gm / 100 gm 3.9 gm / 100 gm
Na: 1-9µg K: 1465.5µg 138-208µg Ca: 217.35µg Mn: 19-30µg 42-.96µg Cu 6-.9µg
Source: Tables of Composition of Australian Aboriginal Foods
Janette Brand Miller, Keith W James & Patricia Maggiore Aboriginal Studies Press
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Straights Studies GPO Box 553 Canberra
ISBN 0 85575 242 4Konczak, I., Zabaras, D., Dunstan, M., Aguas, P., Roulfe, P. and Pavan, A., (2009), Health Benefits of Australian Native Foods, An evaluation of health-enhancing compounds. Rural Industries Research and development Corporation, RIRDC Pub. No. 09/133.
History of Use: The ‘Gardeners Chronicle’ listed the species in 1876 and F.M. Bailey promoted the species as an ornamental for its edible fruit as early as 1900 in his book “Edible fruits indigenous to Australia”.
Davidson plums have been used by early settlers for jams, sauces and are currently mainly marketed in Australia.The FSANZ NFRG has reviewed Davidson plum and has advised it to be a traditional Australian food.Source: Hegarty, M.P & E.E., Food Safety of Australian Plant Bushfoods, RIRDC Publication 01-28, Barton ACT, 2001
Flavour profiles: Davidson plums are known as one of the best of the native plums. The deep dark purple fruits contain a soft juicy pulp with a sharp acidity. The aroma is earthy, like fresh beetroot with slight pickled notes. Taste is sour with some astringency and slight bitterness.
Media Release, (2009), Native food forum awakens senses, Queensland Government, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries.
Products available: Davidson plums are not used as a fresh fruit due to the intense fruit acid and low sugar content.
Davidson plum products are available in supermarkets and specialty stores in value added form like Davidson plum yoghurt, jams, sauces and drinks.
Recipes: Find some fantastic on the ANFIL website.
Essential oil profiles:
Functionality: Davidsonia jerseyana is endemic to the Northern Rivers region of NSW and grows naturally from the Tweed to the Brunswick River catchment. A total of 118 locations were found of endemic populations, which can be grouped into 24 naturally occurring subpopulations.
In NSW all wild Davidson’s Plum are listed as Endangered on both the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act) and the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Harvesting fruit from endemic populations requires a permit from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Davidsonia pruriens natural habitat is in North-East Queensland; the plant is not considered endangered.
Source: Approved NSW Recovery Plan, (2004), Davidson’s Plum (Davidsonia jerseyana), Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW).Recent studies confirm antioxidant levels comparable to blueberries, with many anthocyanins present. An excellent study of the functionality of Davidson plums can be found:
Source: Konczak, I., Zabaras, D., Dunstan, M., Aguas, P., Roulfe, P. and Pavan, A., (2009), Health Benefits of Australian Native Foods, An evaluation of health-enhancing compounds. Rural Industries Research and development Corporation, RIRDC Pub. No. 09/133.
www.aseanfood.info/scripts/count_article.asp?Article_code=11020259Netzel M, Netzel G, Tian Q, Schwartz S, Konczak I (2006) Sources of antioxidant activity in Australian native fruits. Identification and quantification of anthocyanins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 54, 9820-6. Contact: Netzel, Michael ; Food Sci Australia, Riverside Life Sci Ctr, 11 Julius Ave, N Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
Research: Completed Projects• Functional Properties of Australian Bushfoods. A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation by Jian Zhao and Samson Agboola January 2007 RIRDC Publication No 07/030 RIRDC Project No UCS-29A https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/items/07-030
• Health Benefits of Australian Native Foods, An evaluation of health enhancing compounds. A report for the Rural IndustriesResearch and Development Corporation by Konczak, I., Zabaras, D., Dunstan, M., Aguas, P., Roulfe, P. and Pavan, A., September 2009, RIRDC Pub. No. 09/133.
Description: D. jerseyana is a slender small tree growing 6 -10m in altitudes between 100-300 m. Clusters of natural populations are mainly growing in sheltered positions on south and east facing slopes mainly in riparian and rainforest areas. Some species show few branches with several stems from the base, each with a terminal tuft of leaves.
Leaves are alternate between 35-75 cm long. Each leaf has 11-17 oblong shaped leaflets, 6-30 cm long and between 3-10 cm wide.
Flowers are small dark pink to red arranged on panicles, which are borne on the main stem.
Fruits are dark purple in colour, oval shaped and covered with fine hairs. Fruits contain two large seed cases with a single seed and appear fibous. The fruit flesh is dark red when fully ripe.
D. pruriens is a medium slender tree reaching up to 20 m. Its orgin is found in rainforests in tropical north-east Queensland in altitudes to 1000m. Leaves are large (60-120 cm) and compound, lanceolate with a terminal pinna. Lower leaves fall off exposing the dark brown or grey stem. The Queensland itchtree is covered with irritant hairs.
Inflorescences are between 30-80 cm long and cauliflorous on exposed stems. The contain multiple lateral spikes. The 0.5-0.8 cm long flowers are pink with four or five sepals, containing male and female organs.
The fruits are produced in large pendulous clusters from the trunk, they are large deep purple, though the fruit flesh is slighly paler and contains more fibre than its NSW cousin.
D. johnsonii is a small bushy tree (5 -10 m) with smooth leaves. The smooth Davidson plum is endemic to lowland rainforests in north-east New South Wales. The tree has multiple branches and a spreading canopy and dense crown. Stems are surrounded by clumps of root suckers near the base trunk.
The leaves are 10 -30 cm long, narrow-lanceolate with stipules present. Unlike D. johnsonii and D. pruriens, the hairs of D. johnsonii are non irritant. Flowers appear among the leaves, styles are reduced or absent without the presence of pollen.
The fruit contains two unfertile seeds. Propagation is by root suckers, cuttings or division of clumps.Source: Approved NSW Recovery Plan, (2004), Davidson’s Plum (Davidsonia jerseyana), Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW).Janick, J. & Paull, R.E.(2008) The Encyclopedia of Fruit & Nuts, CABI, Wallingford, UKISBN 9780851996387 P 313-314.
Growing information: Growing informationAll Davidson’s plums can be grown in a range of soil types, however rich organic matter and adequate moisture is essential for optimum growth.D. jerseyana grows naturally in red and yellow soils showing poor soil structure, with Silurian greywacke, slate, phyllite and quartzite in the subsoil but will grow in various soil types with high organic matter and high rainfall.

Cultivation:
D. jerseyana trees are planted 1-2.5 m apart in rows 2-4 m apart or in a poly-cultural setting. Young trees are prone to leaf burn in hot dry weather and may need protection in exposed sites. Competition from weeds is to be discouraged. Removal of apical shoots on young trees supports multiple stems, which may increase fruit yield. Irrigation and mulching is recommended to retain surface moisture critical in during the flowering period in spring and fruiting in summer.
Flowering periods for D. jerseyana vary between populations and can occur from July to January. Trees often produce a second set of flowers and buds when the first flowering has poor fruit setting. Little confirmed information is available on pollination. Isolated single trees produce large quantities of fruits with viable seed, which may suggest that the trees are self-pollinating.

Fruiting of D. jerseyana in nothern NSW can occur between November to February.
The majority of fresh seeds germinate quickly (50-8O%) and seedlings establish fast in good conditions growing up to 4m in 6-8 years, producing fruit within 3-4 years.
Young seedlings are frost sensitve and prone to sunburn.

Pest and diseases:
Flying foxes (Pteropus spp.) have been reported to forage on Davidsoniae.
Rodents (Rattus spp. and Mus spp.) are seed predators and are relishing the seeds of ripe fallen fruits but will also forage on ripe fruits on the tree, potentially causing trunk damage. Seed boxes in nurseries need rodent protection.
King Parrots (Alisterus scapularis) will attack unripe fruits for the seeds and can cause considerable crop damage.
Native Budworm (Heliothis spp.) may cause substantial damage to flowers and fruits.
Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) larvae may cause substantial damage to the fruit feeding on the seed.
Orange Fruit Borer Moth (Isotenes mierana) larvae can cause fruit damage
Caterpillars (Anthela varia) may damage flowers and fruits, Brown loopers (Lophodes sinistraria) may damage leaves; Larvae of the wood borer longicorn beetle (Cerambycidae) can ringbark the stems of the trees;
Fruit fly (Dacus spp.) is a significant problem in Northern NSW and may cause severe crop loss.
D. pruriens requires similar soil conditions to D. jerseyana. Spacing is suggested to be 2.5- 3.5 in rows 2-4 m apart.
D. pruriens fruits from March to July in its natural habitat, though fruiting of the species in Northern NSW can occur outside of the season.
The species is less prone to pest and diseases as a winter fruiting specimen.
Red-shouldered leaf beetle (Monolepta australis) though can attack new red shoots.

Source:
Ahmed AK, Johnson KA (2000) Horticultural development of Australian native edible plants. Australian Journal of Botany 48, 417-26. Contact: Ahmed, Amani K. ; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Westbourne St, Gore Hill, NSW, 2065:
Harden, J. & Williams, J.B. (2000) A revision of Davidsoniae (Cunoniaceae). Telopea 8,413-428.
Hardwick, P. (1996) Davidson’s plum Connoisseurs Delight. Australian Rainforest Bushfood Industry Association Newsletter 3, 4-13.
Hotson, A. (2000) Davidson Plum, New Industry Handbook-Native Food, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Canberra, Pub.No.08/021
Riley JM (2001) Wild fruits of Australia. WANATCA Yearbook, 16-22.

Author: Sibylla Hess-Buschmann.
Contributors: Rus Glover, Chris Read.
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The Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse the views in this publication.
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