The enigmatic Cherry Ballart

The Cherry Ballart, or Wild Cherry, or Native Cherry, is an attractive common, endemic native tree found in the drier woodlands and forests throughout eastern Australia. It is a pyramid-shaped tree with drooping, cypress-like foliage.

Its leaves are reduced to tiny triangular scales, it is hemiparasitic, you almost need a microscope to see its flowers, and it is difficult to propagate.

Perhaps though, a clue to its more mysterious feature is in its genus scientific epithet, Exocarpos cupressiformis, where Exo = outside, carpos = fruit, (cupress = cypress, and formis = form or like). Thus, it is a cypress-like tree where the fruit – a nut containing the seed – is attached outside the fleshy, red or yellow ‘cherry’ – which is actually a swollen stalk.

Although the so-called leaves are green and the tree gains some nutrient like most trees, via photosynthesis, early in its life, the Cherry Ballart relies on parasitism of a nearby host tree for some of its resources. The modified roots invade the roots of its host – nearly always a eucalypt but sometimes an acacia or a casuarina.

Despite preferring to grow in shallow soils on the drier slopes, like many eucs, the Cherry Ballart is regarded as a long-lived species. Its relatively dense canopy often provides an ideal micro-climate for wildlife to enjoy. Raptors and owls can sometimes be seen roosting in their shady canopy (even koalas), and kangaroos will seek out their shade on hot days too.

The wood is frequently used for turning and historically was used for furniture, rifle stocks and tool handles.

The Cherry Ballart is an often overlooked, attractive, and fascinating small tree.