Bolwarra

Eupomatia laurina

Common name:

Native Guava / Bolwarra

First Nations name:

Bolwarra

Scientific name:

Eupomatia laurina

Height:

3-5m tall

Leaves:

The Bolwarra plant has large, glossy leaves.

Flowers:

Heavily scented, cream-coloured flowers.

Fruit:

The flowers have a sweet, fruity smell and an edible creamy pulp with many seeds (like a guava). You can tell they are ripe when they are soft to squeeze.

First Nations uses:

This fruit is used as a food source for many different dishes.

Geographical location:

It grows naturally in eastern Australia and New Guinea.

Conservation status:

Least concern

Photo & Research by:

Jules

Interesting fact:

The cream flowers have a strong fragrance to attract pollinators, which for this plant is a beetle (small brown weevil). As it is reliant on a single genus of weevil for pollination, it is considered a relict plant. If this genera of weevils experience a significant decline, due to increased use of pesticides or changing environmental conditions, the bolwarra could eventually become at risk of extinction.