Foraging for Native Berries
Pokulbi - Blue Flax Lily (Dianella caerulea)
When in season, berry picking is something my family like to do together. My children, my mum, my sister, and occasionally husband will all get involved. The colours always excite us and we mostly make a lot of jams, teas, cakes, chutney, jelly and medicine. Some I don’t eat unless I purchase the plant from a nursery that knows it’s not a toxic species, a great example of this is the Pokulbi (Dianella) plant. To which I will use as a natural dye.
POKULBI - We live on Dharawal Country, and in D'harawal language, the violet berry comes from a plant called Pokulbi! Also called Dianella or Blue Flax Lily. This particular type of Pokulbi (Dianella caerulea) is said to be edible like Dianella revoluta, but there still seems to be some confusion with identifying them with the poisonous Dianella tasmanica, Dianella nigra and Dianella intermedia. So unless your absolutely sure of what your picking don't eat it, just let the berries bring you joy! In Dharawal/ Koori Dreaming, it's named after a beautiful woman who had the same violet colour eyes. It's a sad story, but the berries are said to bring joy and happiness to those who are sad or have been cruelly treated. If you wish to read the full story please go to https://dharawalstories.com/stories/#P written by Frances Bodkin (Dharawal Elder) and Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews (Traditional custodian). I highly recommend finding out what country you live in, try and learn the language if you can and its Dreaming stories.
Lillipilli (Syzygium paniculatum)
Lillipilli or Lilly Pilly is a bright magenta fruit. I adore this fruit. I can’t help but feel very happy when I see these come into season. The fruit is sour and not sweet, and the seeds taste like cloves. Hence why some people prefer to make jam or cook it before consuming. You can eat the fruit and seed fresh or cooked. Seeds are bright green inside when fresh and at their highest potency. I like to keep the seeds as medicine or to grow later.
There are many varieties of Lilly Pilly trees (Syzygium) people often plant the short Lilly Pilly as a hedge tree for privacy. Wild Lilly pilly trees can grow very large, and when fruiting can host loud parties for the native birds.
A study on the Magenta Lilly Pilly (Syzygium paniculatum) found its fruit to be rich in phytochemicals, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties as well as antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Magenta lilly pilly fruits are a high-yielding source of anthocyanins and phenols.
Riberry (Syzygium luehmannii)
Riberry is another type of lillipilli. This one is a very short tree hedge or shrub. This is one my children have the most fun with harvesting, due to the height of the tree, the abundance of fruit and the attractive striking pink colour. My kids will use both their hands to pick a bunch of Riberries in one go, often spilling a few onto the ground.
Riberries have much more flavour than the magenta Lilly Pilly. The flavour of its flesh is like cardamon spice and the seeds are also like bitter cloves.
Riberries have potent antimicrobial properties.
Lillipilli and Riberry Jam