Brisbane tree guide

Blueberry ash

Elaeocarpus reticulatus · also called Fairy petticoats, Ash quandong, Blue olive berry

Blueberry ash is a slim native tree that grows naturally along creeks and gullies in South East Queensland. Gardeners like it for its fringed, bell-shaped spring flowers and the bright blue berries that follow. It stays narrow, handles pruning and makes a neat screen in a small yard, and Brisbane City Council plants it as a street tree, along with its pink 'Prima Donna' and 'Green Dream' forms.

Native to South East Queensland
4 to 10 m tall
Flowers September to November

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Blueberry ash, from Wikimedia Commons — Photo: ronavery, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Blueberry ash at a glance

Height: 4 to 10 m (up to 15 m in the wild)
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: White, cream, pink, September to November
Origin: Eastern Australia, from Queensland through NSW to Victoria and Tasmania
Power lines: Council allows it under power lines in some streets
Family: Elaeocarpaceae

How to identify a blueberry ash

Look for an upright small tree with a fairly narrow crown of oblong, leathery leaves, each 5 to 13 cm long, with small regular teeth along the margin and a fine network of veins on both surfaces. In spring it carries short sprays of small hanging bells whose petals are slashed into a fringe, usually white or cream, and pink in some garden forms. Round blue berries about a centimetre across follow and stay on the tree for weeks. Its relative the Eumundi quandong is a larger tree with glossy leaves and bronze new growth.

Growing a blueberry ash in Brisbane

As a local species, blueberry ash suits Brisbane conditions. It grows in anything from full sun to heavy shade and is not fussy about soil, though it does poorly in very sandy or waterlogged spots. Once its roots are established it copes with dry spells. Brisbane City Council lists it for street planting in its Riparian and Undulating Plains precincts at 4 to 10 metres tall, so it fits narrow side yards, fence lines and small front gardens where a big shade tree would be too much.

What to watch out for

Blueberry ash is not on Brisbane City Council's weed list. The main thing to avoid is poorly drained ground, as it does not favour waterlogged soil. Birds feed on the berries, so it suits a wildlife-friendly garden.

Pruning and care

Blueberry ash needs little routine pruning. Trim it lightly to keep it compact or dense for screening; it responds well to being cut back and can be held at a small size if you start while it is young. Heavy cuts in spring remove that season's flowers and berries, so leave major shaping until after the berries finish. Take out dead or crossing branches with clean cuts just outside the branch collar. Water young trees through dry spells, mulch the root zone and avoid boggy ground.

Blueberry ash: your questions

Short answers, from the sources below.

Back to the tree guide

How tall does a blueberry ash grow?

In Brisbane streets and gardens it usually reaches 4 to 10 metres and stays fairly narrow. In forest it can reach about 15 metres, and regular pruning will keep a garden tree smaller.

When does blueberry ash flower in Brisbane?

Brisbane City Council lists blueberry ash as a spring bloomer, with fringed white, cream or pink bells followed by blue berries. Sources from further south put flowering in summer, so timing can shift a little.

Are blueberry ash berries edible?

They are a traditional bush food: the berries can be eaten fresh or crushed and made into jam, though they are not especially tasty. Only eat fruit you have identified with certainty.

Is blueberry ash good for screening?

Yes. It grows as a narrow, leafy tree that takes up little room, accepts pruning and copes with dry spells once established, so it works well for screening along fences and boundaries.