I would never look at this and intuitively say “mmm, this is going taste sweet”!
Yet, the Grass Tree (aka. Kangaroo Tail; Xanthorrhoea spp.) has many traditional uses, including as a food.
Though not technically a tree, the Grass Tree is an iconic plant in many Australian landscapes.
It produces numerous flowers in its stalks that can be used to harvest nectar, but the surprising part is that the leaf bases also are edible as they contain about 5% sugar content and yield a sweet nutty flavor.
The Aboriginal people of Australia have long used the Grass Tree species for medicinal, food, perfumery, personal care, industrial and other uses.
The pulp at the inside top of the tree is consumed for an upset stomach.
The resin has been used as an incense, perfumery and soap making.
The resin from the trunk also has been used as a glue for such uses as attaching spearheads, a polish, and for other industrial processes.
A sweet beverage is made from the nectar of the flowers.
The seeds have been crushed to make flour, the flower spikes used to make spear shafts, and also for making fire (when rubbed with hard wood).
There are reportedly even grubs found at the base of the plants that are edible!
This is a tree (of grass!) with many uses!
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Photo by Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz