White Aspen

White Aspen (also called Yellow Wood or Pigeon Berry) is a rainforest tree producing edible bushfood fruits with a strong citrus flavour and honey notes. It’s endemic to the Daintree region in Queensland, but will grow as far south as Sydney.

White Aspen fruits are white in colour and grow up to 1cm in diameter. They have a crisp texture and an aromatic lemon/orange flavour with hints of eucalyptus and honey. Enjoy them fresh on their own, or add them to salads and side dishes. Cooked, they go well with seafood or poultry, and can be made into preserves, jams, syrups, cakes, sauces, juices and cocktails.

Small white flowers appear from Summer to early Autumn, followed by pale green berries in Winter that turn white then yellow as they mature. White Aspen is an easy harvest — fruits fall right off the branch when ripe. But keep a close watch on these berries, as they are much loved by many native birds, such as the pied currawong, blue-faced honeyeater, green catbird, wompoo fruit dove, satin bowerbird and white-headed pigeon.

White Aspen is a subtropical evergreen that prefers full sun, shelter from strong winds, and rich soils that retain moisture but drain freely. With its dense, dark, leathery green foliage, it’s both a delicious edible and an attractive ornamental.

In rainforest conditions, White Aspen grows to 12-15m in height and 4-8m in width, but expect it to reach half this size in a backyard garden. With adequate care and pruning, you can easily grow it as a screen, a hedge or as an edible balcony plant in a large pot.