Leafless Ballart, Leafless Cherry, Stiff Cherry
Exocarpos aphyllus
Family: Santalaceae
What it is like
A shrub. It grows 2-5 m high and spreads 3-5 m across. It has many branches, The small branches are rigid and often end in a spine. The leaves are very small or scale like. The flowers are very small. They are cream and do not have a stalk. They occur in dense spikes or clusters. The fruit is attached to the succulent and edible fruit-like stalk. The fruit are about 0.5 cm across. It is a hairy nut on the end of a green or bright red stalk.
There are about 26 Exocarpus species.
Where it is found
It grows in arid and semiarid inland regions in Australia. It can grow near the coast. It grows attached to or in association with other plants. It can be in sandy soils or well drained clays.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia (country/location of origin)
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Plants are hard to propagate.