Our native Small Leaved Tamarind has fruited for the first time and we are excited to be able to use the fruit for the first time in the Schoolhouse for our event on April 23. The bright orange juicy flesh makes delicious sauces and jams with a tart and distinctive tangy taste. We plan to make a tamarind and ginger sauce that will complement both meats and vegetables. The flesh can be removed when the fruit is ripe and frozen until required for use in the kitchen.

We also plan to sow the fresh seed once the fruit is removed to grow these attractive plants to share with other gardeners.

The Small Leaved Tamarind (Diploglottis campellii) is a very rare tree from Queensland and is one of our success stories here in Victoria where it has grown to a shrub about 3 metres high and has been frost and drought tolerant. This plant is an attractive addition to any garden as the bright green pinnate leaves fill the mid space of a garden well. The fruits drop to the ground when ripe and look like the garden floor is strewn with bright orange lollies!

The native Tamarinds are related to the Lychee and they have similar juicy flesh surrounding a large seed that will germinate quickly if freshly sown.

Have you tried the native tamarind? What do you think about its taste?