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Shrafter Comment by Jeff Cameron on January 31, 2012 at 23:34

Hi Ben,

 

I remember eating fushia berries when I lived on Stewart Island as a child, long time ago now.

I have not seen many up here in the Waikato even though they are supposed to grow here, possums may be the reason as they will browse them to complete defoliation. Do you know of any other handy edibles?

 

Shrafter Comment by Jeff Cameron on January 31, 2012 at 18:23

New Zealand bush is not overloaded with edible plants. There are over 140 ferns of wich the shoots or piko piko can only be eaten from 7 of them.

One handy one I eat is the tips of supple jack. They regrow quite quickly and I'm told they taste like aspagarus but I can't make the taste link. Edible though.

 

Safest things to eat in NZ bush or any bush for that matter are fresh water fish and crays, birds and insects with 6 legs and many grubs.

We probably need a group for this, I have talked to a few old timers about wild NZ foods and haven't come up with much.

If you learn any good ones please pass them on.