Persoonia pinifolia    

Pine-leaved Geebung

Fine pine-like foliage distinguishes this Geebung from the other tall shrubs in open-forests of lower altitudes. Densely packed on graceful drooping branches, each bright green leaf is 3-6cm long, and cylindrical with a fine point and a faint groove on the upper surface.

It is most commonly noticed in autumn however, when the ends of the branches colour to bright yellow with 5-15cm long spikes of flowers that nestle amongst the smaller terminal leaves. Each flower is a floral tube of 10-15mm long, the ends of which roll back in 4 segments to reveal a projecting stigma.

The branches then become loaded with a fine crop of succulent red-green fruit that mature to bunches of bronze-purple ‘grapes’. High in vitamin C and potassium, they were a valued winter food resource for Aboriginal people.

Family: Proteaceae

Kids Activity Trail

  • Did you know the fleshy fruit is eaten by birds including emus, small mammals, some reptiles and ants
  • The leaves of this plant have fine pine like foliage which distinguishes this Geebung from the other tall shrubs in open forests

Image Credit: PETRINA LOUISA FUDA Persoonia pinifolia (Pine- leaf Geebung) 2000, carved sandstone, 62 x 150 x 100 cm, Wentworth Falls Lake Sculpture Project, Blue Mountains City Art Collection