Johnson’s Qandong, Kuranda Quandong
Elaeocarpus johnsonii
Family: Elaeocarpaceae
What it is like
A medium sized tree. It grows up to 10-18 m tall and spreads 5-10 m wide. The young shoots are pink and covered with rusty hairs. The leaves are simple and 8-14 cm long by 1.5-2.5 cm wide. The midrib on the upper side is hairy and underneath there are rusty hairs. There are fine teeth around the leaf edge. The flowering shoot is 4 cm long and the flowers are 0.5 cm long. They are cream and hairy. The fruit is 27-40 mm long by 14-25 mm wide. They hang singly or in bunches. The outer surface of the fruit may have rusty hairs. There is one seed inside. It is up to 30 mm long. The flesh of the fruit is edible.
There are about 360 Elaeocarpus species mostly in the tropics.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It suits tropical and subtropical locations. It grows in highland rainforest in NE Queensland, Australia. It grows between 500-1600 m altitude.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Seeds kernel, fruit, nuts
How it is grown
Plants are grown from seed. Seed do not grow easily. They should have the seed coat broken or be fermented.