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

Anangu 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.