Image 1 of 1
Free postage within Australia
Catalogue: 25/73
This painting shows the small purple flowers of the wild bush tomato, a plant that grows in Central Australia. The bush tomato is prickly and tough, living in dry country. Its flowers bloom only after heavy rain.
When these purple flowers appear, they are a sign that the tomatoes are coming soon. First, the fruit is green—not ready yet. But when it changes colour to yellow and brown, that means it’s ripe. That’s when it can be picked and eaten.
Aboriginal families in remote Central Australia have always known this plant well. They watch for the signs, for the flowers and colours that show the right time to collect. The older ones teach the younger ones how to look carefully—how to find the plant, understand its season, and know when it’s ready.