Santalum Acuminatum

Quandong, wild peach, desert peach or native peach are common names for a small desert tree that grows up to four metres high. It is semi-parasitic, obtaining some nutrients from a host plant, and has rough, dark bark and pale green elongated leaves. The plant forms cream flowers in late summer and the fruit is ready to harvest in early spring. The shiny, scarlet red fruit is about two centimetres in diameter and contains inside one large nut or kernel, which is sometimes only marginally smaller than the fruit.

Quandongs are an important Aboriginal fruit. They are tart, but highly nutritious and contain twice the vitamin C of an orange.They are also high in vitamin E, folate, magnesium, zinc and iron. The fruit was either eaten raw or dried for later use. The kernel, fruit, leaves and roots were used for medicinal purposes. Quandong wood was prized for the making of traditional bowls, called pitti or coolamons. The quandong fruit features heavily in Aboriginal mythology across all the desert regions of Australia.

Today the fruit can be found in sauces, jams, cordials and dukkah.

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Original pen and ink drawing printed onto 310gsm Canson Aquarelle Rag using archival inks and is signed by the artist, Phoebe Duff.

All Ancient Nectar prints are limited editions of 25 and are numbered in the bottom left corner.

*Please allow 2-3 weeks delivery time for limited edition items, as they are printed to order.