Cabbage tree

Cordyline australis

root · vegetable

Stems and roots slow-cooked in earth ovens, where their fructans turn into sugar; the young shoots of the heart are eaten too.

Origin

New Zealand

Where to find it

Planted everywhere in gardens in Brittany, Cornwall and Ireland, where people mistake it for a palm tree.

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

The tender heart of the young shoots is cut out with a knife and cooked for about twenty minutes; it is bitter.

Molecules

Fructans (inulin, FOS)In small amounts, not counted Insoluble fibers

Did you know?

Settlers called it “cabbage tree” for its tender heart.