QLD DAVIDSON’S PLUM (Ooray) Davidsonia pruriens

Description : A very ornamental tree, growing to a height of between 4 to 8 metres in the garden, the Qld. Davidson’s Plum forms a slender, palm-like small tree. The leaves are pinnate, large and drooping.

Flowers are small, pink and borne on multi-branched panicles and occur from November to February.

Fruits are purple, plum-like berries (drupe), to 50mm across and quite spectacular, hanging in axillary bunches. Fruiting occurs between February to May and in some years can extend into August. Mature trees can get quite tall but being slender, a firm shake of the trunk will bring down the ripe fruit.

Uses: The brilliant red fleshed ‘plums’, larger than their NSW relative, are also quite sour but very high in antioxidants and vitamins. They are delicious and lend themselves to both sweet and savoury applications such as jams and meat sauces. They to make a quite acceptable wine.

The ‘Davo’ is called the “Queen of the rainforest plums”, the local aboriginal people call her “Ooray”, a much more fitting name a Queen.