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Summary
Native to Australia, Billy Goat Plum or Terminalia ferdinandiana is a small to mediumsized deciduous, flowering tree, about 10-14 m high, with a spreading and rounded crown. Its bark is creamy gray and rough. The leaves, large, smooth, leathery, oval to round, occur in spirals near the ends of small branches. Flowers are cream, small, fragrant, and in spikes in the leaf axils towards terminal part of the branches. The almond-shaped fruit, soft and yellow green, has high ascorbic acid or vitamin C content. It is pounded and used as an antiseptic. It can be eaten raw, cooked, or made into preserved or jams. The seeds are edible. The inner bark of the tree is used as treatment for skin conditions and infections like wounds, sores, and boils. T. ferdinandiana is tolerant to drought but frost sensitive. It can be grown from fresh seeds.
Physical Characteristics

Terminalia ferdinandiana is a deciduous Tree growing to 10 m (32ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and is not frost tender.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Myrobalanus edulis Kuntze Terminalia edulis F.Muell. Terminalia latipes psilocarpa Pedley
Habitats
Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses:
Fruit - raw or cooked[296 , 301 , 777 ]. Eaten fresh, it can have a drying effect in the mouth[777 ]. Used in making preserves, jams etc[301 ]. About 3cm long, it has a slightly bitter-tasting flesh[296 ]. The fruit looks and tastes like a gooseberry[301 ]. It is one of the world's richest natural sources of ascorbic acid with some forms containing up to 3,150mg of ascorbic acid per 100g of fruit[301 ]. When ripe, the fruit is soft and has a yellow-green colour - to harvest you merely shake the trunk of the tree and the ripe fruits fall to the ground[296 ].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antiseptic Vitamin C
The pounded fruit is used as an antiseptic and as a soothing balm for aching limbs[777 ]..
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Other Uses: None known
Special Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Succeeds in any moderately fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny position[200 ]. Found in the wild on red sands, sandy clay, black peat, sandstone, ironstone and granite soils[285 ]. The fruit of this species could contain the highest concentration of vitamin C to be found in any fruit in the world[307 ]. It is being researched for its commercial potential[307 ].
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
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Propagation
Seed -
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Wild plum, Gubinge, Murunga, Manmohpan, Gobin, Mador, Nanka-bakarra,
Native Plant Search
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Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
Australia
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
Exell
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
Readers comment
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Subject : Terminalia ferdinandiana
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