Have you been down to our bush food section recently? It’s absolutely brimming with edible Australian native plants and the best thing is that many of them can be happily grown in pots! It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a large garden or small – there are a number of ways you can incorporate edible Australian plants into your garden, and your kitchen. 

Big pots

If you’ve got some space for a few larger pots, growing lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora), strawberry gum (Eucalyptus olida) and aniseed myrtle (Backhousia anisatum) is a great start. Not only do these plants make wonderful herbal teas but they can also be incorporated into many dishes from desserts to main dishes. Try growing them in a sunny corner protected from strong winds in a container that is at least 400-500mm in diameter.

Shady spots

If the only place you can put a container is in the shade there are still native Australian edibles you can grow. Native spinach – Tetragonia tetragonoides – will grow well in part shade in a nice wide pot, as well the native mint Mentha australis. 

Hot and sunny

Lots of balcony gardens are very hot and exposed – not the easiest of conditions to grow in! But some like saltbush – Atriplex nummalaria – like it hot and will happily grow in a medium sized container in the harshest of conditions. 

Garden favourites

The midgen berry (Austromyrtus dulcis x tenuifolia) and apple berry (Billardiera scandens) are two easy care garden favourites that also adapt well to container growing. Their berries are palatable straight from the garden, and can also be incorporated into both sweet and savoury dishes. They grow best in mild conditions – dappled shade and regular watering will keep them powering along.