Quandong (desert peach)

Santalum acuminatum

A scarlet desert fruit, tart as rhubarb, with a kernel worth cracking; it borrows water from a neighbor's roots.

Type: small tree · fruit trees
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 15 ft tall, 10 ft wide
Harvest: March to May
From: Arid and southern Australia
Drought-hardy once established
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

Quandong is a kind of sandalwood and a root parasite: its roots tap those of neighboring plants for water and nutrients. It has been a food of Aboriginal peoples across the dry south for tens of thousands of years, and the kernels are carried and traded.

Planting

Full sun and well-drained, sandy soil. Plant it beside a host such as a wattle, saltbush or native grass.

Growing

Keep the host alive. Water lightly while young. Never disturb the roots.

Harvest and use

Bright red fruit in spring. The tart flesh is eaten fresh or dried, and makes excellent pies and jam. The kernel inside the pitted stone is rich in oil.

What to watch for

Hard to establish without a host. Root rot in wet soil.

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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