Bitter quandong facts for kids

Santalum murrayanum, often called the bitter quandong, is a special plant from Australia. It belongs to the sandalwood family, known as Santalaceae. The Noongar people, who are Indigenous Australians, call this plant coolyar.

This plant gets its common name, bitter quandong, because its fruit tastes bitter. This is different from its close relative, the Santalum acuminatum, which is known as the sweet quandong. The bitter quandong is also sometimes called Ming.

What is the Bitter Quandong?

The bitter quandong is a type of shrub or small tree. It usually grows to be about 1 to 5 meters (3 to 16 feet) tall. This plant is quite unique because it's a "hemi-parasite." This means it gets some of its food and water from the roots of other plants. But don't worry, it does this in a way that doesn't hurt the other plants at all! All plants in the Santalum family share this interesting way of living.

Its Look and Flowers

The bitter quandong has pretty flowers that bloom between October and January. These flowers can be white or a yellowish-green color.

Where Does it Grow?

You can find the bitter quandong in different parts of Western Australia. It grows in areas like the Wheatbelt, Great Southern, and Goldfields-Esperance regions. It likes to grow in sandy areas, on sandplains, and even on sand dunes. It also thrives in gravelly soils that are rich in laterite.