Theatre Gardens Bush Tucker Garden

Trees

Botanical name: Agonis flexuous

Common name: Peppermint Tree

Noongar name: Wonil

Season: Makuru

Benefits and uses

Noongar people use its peppermint-scented leaves as an antiseptic and a natural decongestant. Mothers crushed the leaves between their palms and placed their warm, scented hands on the chest of babies to ease chest and nasal congestion. Antiseptic decoctions of the leaves are used for minor wounds and as a mouthwash. The smoke from the twigs and leaves is used to treat respiratory problems and the ash was mixed with animal fat and used in poultice to treat wounds and sores.

Botanical name: Eucalyptus rudis

Common name: Flooded Gum

Noongar name: Moitch or Koolert

Season: Makuru - Djilba

Benefits and uses

Noongar people use crushed leaves as a poultice to heal sores and inhaling its antibacterial eucalyptus steam to clear congestion, relieve nasal congestion and headaches. Powdered gum from the tree is used on wounds to promote healing. A sugary substance found on the leaves, known as manna or lerp, is collected and eaten as a sweet treat. The leaves are often used in smoking ceremonies for cleansing and health, with leaves known for strong antibacterial properties.

Botanical name: Melaleuca viridiflora

Common name: Broad-leaved paperbark

Noongar name: Bibool

Season: Birak - Bunuru

Benefits and uses

Leaves are boiled, crushed, or soaked to inhale the vapors. This is used to clear coughs, colds, nasal congestion, and headaches, thanks to the natural eucalyptol and terpinen found in the oils. Antiseptic Poultice: Fresh leaves are crushed and applied as a poultice to minor wounds, insect bites, and skin sores to prevent infection. Bathing in an infusion of the leaves helped ease generalized aches, fevers, and joint swelling. The flowering paperbark produces nectar-rich spikes. Noongars and other Aboriginal groups either sucked the nectar directly from the blossoms or soaked the flowers in water to make a sweet, sugary drink.

Botanical name: Xanthorrhoea preissii

Common name: Grass Tree

Noongar name: Balga

Season: Kambarang

Benefits and uses

The gum is chewed to relieve diarrhoea and constipation. The pulp from the inside of the top of the tree is eaten to relieve upset stomachs. The smoke for the burning resin is in haled to relieve sinusitis. The white tips at the base of new leaves can be eaten. The resin is used as a tanning agent and glue when melted, and old needles around the trunk make a great fire starter.

Shrubs

Botanical name: Banksia attenuata ‘Dwarf'

Common name: Sandplain Banksia

Noongar name: Biara or Piara

Season: Kambarang, Birak, and Bunuru

Benefits and uses

The yellow flower spikes are soaked in water to create a sweet, energy-boosting beverage known as mangite (or nguk), drunk during summer. The tips of the young stem buds are chewed as a hunger suppressant and for medicinal purposes, sometimes mixed with buttercup petals and the leaves were utilized to treat colds and headaches. The mature woody cones are used as fire sticks, to carry fire from camp to camp, as they smoulder slowly for long periods.

Botanical name: Banksia petiolaris

Common name: Creeping Banksia

Noongar name: Kaarta mangaara

Season: Djeran and Birak

Benefits and uses

The dried flower cones are cleaned and used as a hairbrush. The flowers provide a high-quality food source. The nectar is consumed by sucking directly on the yellow flower spikes, or by soaking the spikes in water to produce a sweet drink. Infusions of Banksia flowers are used to treat coughs and sore throats, they are also a source of food and are sometimes consumed to alleviate hunger and thirst.

Botanical name: Atriplex nummularia

Common name: Old man saltbush

Noongar name: Purngep, Pining, and Binga

Season: Djeran - Djilba

Benefits and uses

The leaves and roots are boiled in water to create a strong, nutrient-rich wash used to bathe skin abrasions, burns, and sores. While the seeds are collected, ground up, and roasted to make traditional dampers. Because of its natural salty-herby flavour, it is used as a direct salt substitute. Fresh leaves can be wrapped around meats or fish before grilling, blanched as a leafy vegetable, or dried and used as a sprinkle or herb. The large, silvery-blue leaves are packed with protein, antioxidants, and minerals.

Botanical name: Melaleuca huegelii ‘prostrate’

Common name: Chenille Honey-Myrtle

Noongar name: Yowarl

Season: Kambarang - Birak

Benefits and uses

Leaves are crushed, sucked, chewed, or inhaled to treat congestion, head colds, and influenza. Nectar is sucked directly from the white, bottlebrush-like flowers. Blossoms are also soaked in water to create a sweet drink, which could be fermented into a beverage known as Jep. Branches are used to cover shelters, and because of their pleasant aromatic oil, the leaves are utilized in smoking ceremonies.

Ground cover and low growing plants

Botanical name: Myoporum parvifolium - Yareena

Common name: Creeping Boobialla

Noongar name: Boobialla

Season: Djilba Kambarang Birak and Bunuru

Benefits and uses

The white to purplish-brown berries that are considered edible and possess a slightly sweet, though sometimes astringent, taste. These berries were historically eaten by Noongar people, particularly when in season, and are described as a popular, nutritious bush food. The medicinal benefits, often used to help fight illness and improve immune system health.

Botanical name: yoporum insulare

Common name: Prostrate coastal boobialla

Noongar name: Boobialla

Season: Djilba Kambarang Birak and Bunuru

Benefits and uses

The white to purplish-brown berries that are considered edible and possess a slightly sweet, though sometimes astringent, taste. These berries were historically eaten by Noongar people, particularly when in season, and are described as a popular, nutritious bush food. The medicinal benefits, often used to help fight illness and improve immune system health.