Hortiforum

General Info – Kakadu Plum, Gubinge, Billy Goat Plum

Native to the tropical savanna of the Northern Territory and North-western Australia, the Kakadu Plum has been utilised as a bushfood for millennia and is increasingly gaining recognition for its medicinal and edible properties.
The fruit itself, though astringent and tart, serves as a refreshing snack. Ripe Kakadu Plums bear a resemblance to miniature Pears (although it is their stem end that swells), developing a slight yellow tinge and soft flesh. Fruits are commonly processed into jams, pickles, sauces, preserves, and beverages, where their unique Gooseberry and Apple flavor blends superbly with both savoury and sweet profiles. Notably, Kakadu Plums boast an exceptionally high concentration of Vitamin C, standing as one of the most naturally concentrated sources known.
With its pale, turquoise-green leaves and spirals of contrasting white flowers, the Kakadu Plum adds an attractive ornamental touch to low-maintenance landscaping, evoking a tropical beach ambiance. The Kakadu Plum exhibits a spreading form and a slender trunk adorned with flaking creamy-grey bark. Typically, these plants reach heights of 5-7 metres, although occasionally they reach up to 14 metres.
Thriving in its native savanna environment, the Kakadu Plum demonstrates resilience to extended drought, variable soil conditions ranging from poor to excessively draining, and moderate levels of salt and wind. Natively, Kakadu Plum grow across a range of habitats from Coastal Forests to Flood Plains, Ridges and Dry Creek Beds. Plants are sensitive to cold temperatures, with potential damage occurring below 6 degrees Celsius, requiring a full sun position. As a member of the Terminalia genus, Kakadu Plums are related to the Indian Almond which has very similar tolerance and climatic preferences and plants will grow well together.
A well-adapted addition to any native tropical garden, the Kakadu Plum is poised to gain increasing popularity over time.

Plant Profile/Properties