Blue mallee
The blue mallee has rounded blue-green leaves and thrives in sandy areas.
Growing up to three metres high, it has rough bark on the trunk and smooth, cream-coloured bark higher up. It boasts clusters of creamy white flowers that produce gumnuts.
The blue mallee’s large underground root can re-sprout after fires to form several new trunks.
Culture
Aṉangu dry the gumnuts in the sun to release seeds, which are ground into a paste with a nutty flavour.
During extremely dry times, water can be extracted from the blue mallee’s root system.
Scientific name
Eucalyptus gamophylla
Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara name
altarpa
