The Saltbush Story

The Old Man Saltbush leaves have been used by Aboriginal people for thousands of years as a vegetable and the minute seeds ground to make flat cakes. Salt degraded rangelands are dotted by this hardy plant that cleans the underground water and murky salty soils and turns them into a useful source of protein, minerals and anti oxidants.

Mike has done some amazing research on this species and found that the most useful sub species have been stripped from rangelands by overgrazing by introduced browsers. On the search for better tasting, more nutritious plants, Mike found vigorous examples of Saltbush on an island in the Lachlan River in NSW and a 150 year old plant in Broken Hill.

He crossed the two, did huge plantation trials and eventually came up with a super performer. As well as the romance of Outback Saltbush, another positive aspect is the environmental benefit of this wonderful plant that cleanses its immediate area and makes it a better place to be... The salts in Saltbush are in a plant based form and bring an earthy subtlety to recipes.

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