Blue quandong, Silver quandong
Elaeocarpus angustifolius

Family: Elaeocarpaceae

What it is like

A medium sized to tall tree. It grows 35-40 m high. There are buttresses 5-6 m up the trunk. It has an open crown. The bark is light grey. The young shoots are pale green. The leaf stalks are long 15 mm, slender and narrowly winged near the tip. The leaves are partly deciduous. The leaves are oval and 7-18 cm long by 3.5-5 cm wide. They are dark green and glossy on top and paler underneath. They are thin textured. The edges of the leaves have fine teeth. Old leaves turn bright red. The flowers are borne on twigs behind the leaves. Flowers are 1.2-1.5 cm across and placed along a stalk on side branches. This flower arrangement is 5-15 cm long. The flowers are greenish white. The petals have a fine fringe. The fruit is 2-3 cm across and round. It is shiny bright blue or purple. The flesh is often fibrous. The seeds have a hard pitted coat. The fruit are edible.

There are about (60) 365 Elaeocarpus species mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It occurs in lowland secondary forest from India to Fiji. It grows in rainforests and along stream banks. It suits humid locations. They require well drained soil and need plenty of moisture. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. In Nepal it grows between 600-1100 m altitude. It grows in hardiness zones 10-12. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia (country/location of origin), Myanmar, Nepal, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis & Futuna, West Africa

How it is used for food

The fleshy layer around the hard stone is edible, when ripe. The fruit are edible and attractive. An edible paste can be made from the fruit.

Edible parts

Fruit, seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed. Seed only germinate irregularly. Cracking the hard seed coat or filing a hole helps seeds grow more quickly. Seeds have also been made grow better by fermenting them and by storing them in plastic bags. Plants can be grown from cuttings.

Plants are very fast growing. In Australia plants flower in March to June and then in December and fruit are mature in August to January.

Its other names

Local names

Bangkulat, Blue Fig, Blueberry ash, Brush quandong, Butsu kasi, Caloon, Changkan, Com qua cau, Genitri, Ganitri, Geniteri, Hamea, Indian oil fruit, Jenitri, Jin gang, Kungkurad, Moorum, Pohon genitri klengkeng, Rijaksa, Rudraksh, Rudraksha, Togovao, Utrasum bead tree, White quandong

Synonyms

Ayparia crenata Raf.; Elaeocarpus baclayanensis Elmer; Elaeocarpus crenatus (Raf.) Merr.; Elaeocarpus cyanocarpus Maingay ex Mast.; Elaeocarpus dolichopetalus Merr.; Elaeocarpus drymophilus Domin.; Elaeocarpus fauroensis Hemsl.; Elaeocarpus ganitrus Gaertn.; Elaeocarpus grandis F. Muell.; Elaeocarpus hebridarum Knuth; Elaeocarpus major (Hochr.) Knuth; Elaeocarpus muellerianus Schltr.; Elaeocarpus novoguineensis Warb.; Elaeocarpus parkinsonii Warb.; Elaeocarpus persicifolius Brogn. & Gris; Elaeocarpus polyschistus Schltr.; Elaeocarpus ramiflorus Merr.; Elaeocarpus sphaericus (Gaertn.) Schumann.; ? Elaeocarpus subglobosa Merr.; Elaeocarpus wenzelii Merr.; Ganitrus sphaericus Gaertn.; Fusanus acuminatus;