A note before you start: This article is general gardening information for Australian home gardeners, not health, dietary or foraging advice. Grow only well-known, correctly identified species, prepare anything that needs it, and check with your local council or state agency about any plant that may be a weed risk where you live. If you are unsure whether something is safe to eat, leave it out.
The short version: A bush food garden grows well-known native edibles at home, such as warrigal greens, finger lime, lemon myrtle and midyim berry. This knowledge belongs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have used these plants for tens of thousands of years, so grow them with respect. Choose named, well-established species rather than collecting from the bush, since some need special preparation and a few look-alikes are not safe to eat. Match each plant to your climate zone, and most are happy in a sunny, well-drained spot.
Native edibles are having a quiet moment in home gardens, and for good reason. Many suit our soils and seasons, plenty are tough once established, and they bring flavours you rarely find in a supermarket.
It is worth saying plainly where this knowledge comes from. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have grown, tended and used these plants for tens of thousands of years, as the Australian National Botanic Gardens record of Aboriginal plant use sets out. Growing a few at home is a small way to enjoy and respect that living tradition, not to claim it.
Where to start with bush tucker plants
Start with a handful of reliable, named species rather than everything at once. The easiest wins are leafy greens, a citrus or two, and an aromatic shrub for the kitchen.
Warrigal greens (Tetragonia tetragonioides) is a sprawling native leafy green that grows across much of the country. Finger lime (Citrus australasica), called lime caviar for its pearl-like flesh, is a thorny rainforest shrub that suits a pot. Lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) gives intensely lemony leaves for teas and baking.
A few more are worth knowing. Midyim berry (Austromyrtus dulcis) is a low shrub with sweet speckled berries, native river mint (Mentha australis) gives a fresh minty leaf, and muntries (Kunzea pomifera) is a trailing plant with small spicy-sweet fruit. A few pots by the back step are an easy way to start.
Native edibles that suit each climate zone
Match the plant to your zone, because the range across Australia is wide and few natives suit every garden. What thrives in humid Cairns can sulk in frosty Orange, so plant for the conditions outside your back door.
In tropical and subtropical gardens, from Darwin to Brisbane and Coffs Harbour, warm-climate species do best: finger lime, lemon myrtle, midyim berry and macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) favour these frost-free, humid conditions.
In cooler temperate and cool or alpine areas, such as Canberra, the Tasmanian highlands and the southern tablelands, hardier plants take over. Mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) is notably cold-hardy, and muntries handles cool conditions far better than tropical natives.
In Mediterranean zones, including Perth and southern Western Australia along with Adelaide, the mild wet winters and dry summers suit many natives well. Warrigal greens and muntries usually cope here, and warrigal greens in particular often tolerates coastal gardens and many zones. Native river mint suits these areas too, given a damper spot or some watering through the dry summer.
Arid and semi-arid areas, from Alice Springs to Mildura, suit tough, sun-loving natives. Warrigal greens can cope given some summer water, and bush tomato (Solanum centrale) suits dry inland conditions. Give them free-draining soil and shelter from hard frost.
How to feed and look after them
Feed native edibles gently, and be careful with phosphorus on the sensitive ones. Many Australian natives evolved in ancient, low-nutrient soils, so the heavy fertiliser that suits a tomato bed can do more harm than good. With natives, a light hand usually wins.
The Proteaceae family, which includes macadamia and grevillea, is the group to watch. Many can be sensitive to phosphorus, so reach for a native or low-phosphorus feed rather than a standard high-phosphorus product. A gentle seaweed solution can be a useful general tonic, since it is mild rather than a heavy feed.
Most want full sun to part shade and free-draining soil, and many do well in pots and raised beds where you can control the mix. Some, such as finger lime and lemon myrtle, are usually bought as plants or tubestock rather than grown from seed. Start with a couple while you learn what each likes, then add more once the first ones have earned their spot.
Knowing what is safe to eat
Stick to known, named edible species and prepare anything that needs it, because a few natives have parts or relatives that are not safe. This is the most important habit in a bush food garden.
Warrigal greens contain oxalates, much like spinach, so they are eaten cooked rather than raw. Blanch the leaves in boiling water for two to three minutes and tip that water away before eating, which lowers the oxalate level. Then treat them as you would a pan of spinach, and enjoy them in moderation.
Bush tomato shows why names matter. Only certain cultivated species, such as Solanum centrale (also called Kutjera or desert raisin), are eaten, and only the fully ripe fruit. Many wild Solanum relatives look similar but are toxic, and the unripe fruit of some is poisonous, so grow a known named species and never eat an unidentified wild Solanum.
The same care applies to wattleseed. Only certain Acacia species are used for food, so stick to a known edible one and do not harvest random wattle.
A bush food garden is a genuine pleasure: unusual flavours, hardy plants, and a link to foods that have nourished people here for millennia. Many thrive in pots and raised beds, so they suit even a small yard.
To get started, try our own warrigal greens seeds, browse the rest of our native seeds range, and for the everyday crops that sit beside them see our vegetable seeds. For more on raising natives from scratch, see our guide to starting seeds indoors, or plan the season in the Learning Hub and What to Sow Now.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bush food garden?
It is a home garden of native edible plants grown for their leaves, fruit or nuts, such as warrigal greens, finger lime and lemon myrtle. The knowledge of these foods belongs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, so the idea is to grow well-known species with respect.
Which bush foods are easiest to grow at home?
Warrigal greens is one of the more forgiving, tolerating many zones and growing quickly. Finger lime and lemon myrtle suit warmer gardens and pots, while mountain pepper and muntries handle cooler areas. Start with a few named species rather than many.
Do I need to prepare warrigal greens before eating?
Yes. Warrigal greens contain oxalates, so blanch the leaves in boiling water for two to three minutes, then discard that water before eating. Eat them in moderation, much as you would with spinach.
Is rosella an Australian native?
Common rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is a popular crop across northern Australia, but it is not a native and is thought to have come from tropical Africa. It is best treated as an introduced crop rather than a true bush food.
Can I grow bush foods in pots or a small yard?
Yes, many native edibles do well in pots and raised beds, including finger lime, lemon myrtle and midyim berry. Containers let you control the soil mix and move frost-tender plants to shelter in winter. Use a free-draining mix and feed gently.
Should I forage for bush foods instead of growing them?
This guide is about growing known species at home, not collecting from the bush. Many wild plants have toxic look-alikes, so a named, established plant is the safer way to enjoy native edibles.
Related growing guides
- Starting Your First Edible Garden in Australia
- Water-wise gardening: getting more from every drop
- Small-Space and Balcony Edible Gardens in Australia
Ready to plant? Browse our Native & Non-Native Seeds.