Illawarra plum

Podocarpus elatus

A conifer with juicy purple "plums" that taste of grape and pine; needs male and female trees.

Type: canopy tree · tropical and subtropical food plants
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: part shade
Size: about 50 ft tall, 20 ft wide
Harvest: September to December
From: Eastern Australia
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, wildlife.

Native to: Australia. Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Illawarra plum is a podocarp conifer of the New South Wales and Queensland rainforests, whose purple fruit was eaten by Aboriginal peoples of the Illawarra coast and later made into jam by settlers; the seed sits on top of the fleshy stalk, which is the part you eat.

Planting

Part shade or sun, moist drained soil, and a frost-light climate; a slow evergreen tree to 25 feet. Plant male and female.

Growing

Water through dry spells and mulch. No pruning needed.

Harvest and use

Fleshy purple stalks ripen in autumn; eat fresh (resinous), or cook into jam and sauce for meat. Discard the hard seed on top.

What to watch for

Drought and frost.

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More tropical and subtropical food plants

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home