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The Bush Tomato, also known as the
Desert raisin and Akudjurra (Solanum centrale), is a bush tucker that has
gained popularity in western cuisine. Although there are several edible
species of Solanum found in the Central Australia region, Solanum
centrale is the most popular and considered favourable for cultivation
to satisfy western demands. Other species referred to as bush tomatoes include:
The fruit of the bush tomato are
round, approximately 10-20 mm in diameter and turn from green to yellow
when ripe. When they are dried they look like raisins.
Fruit ripening on the bush dry to resemble a raisin. The plan itself is usually found as a
small rounded, prickly shrub (250 to 500 mm high and wide) and occurs
naturally in Central Australia (SA, WA and NT), usually in areas of 150
to 300 mm rainfall, and generally on red sandy soils. Although the plant
has also been found growing on heavier textured soils in some locations.
The leaves are a grey-green to green leaves, usually covered with fine
silvery or rust coloured hairs, producing pink to purple flowers,
similar in shape to the standard tomato plant. The plant can be found
flowering during spring, summer and autumn.
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