Condrun | Kick Bush | Astroloma serratifolium

Condrun is a low or erect spreading shrub between 0.1-1.2 m high and to 2 m wide. The leaves are sharply pointed with finely serrated edges. The species often grows on poorer stony or lateritic soils.

The red/pink tubular flowers grow around 1.5 cm in length and may attract honeyeaters. Like many heaths they can be long flowering. Due to its opportunistic flowering habit, and occurring in several climate zones, Condrun is known to flower at any time of the year and can be stimulated by localised summer rainfall events.

Noongar uses

• Condrun is prized as bush tucker for its small fleshy berries that are eaten when soft.
• These green, tart berries were eaten straight off the shrub and in contemporary times are made into jams.
• Cultivators are warned to be wary of its sharp serrated leaves when harvesting.

Cultivation

Being largely an inland species it will take advantage of any good passing storms, where in their favoured stony ground the rain can penetrate deeper and the moisture held longer.

Condrun is suitable for light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. And tolerates acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (found often in light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

[Excerpt from 2017 Bush Tucker Calendar]