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Native food plants of the Peninsula
Wongi
Roger Goebel, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
Botanical name: Manilkara kauki in the SAPOTACEAE family
Other names: Wongai, Torres Strait wongi, East coast wongi
Uses – Why grow it?
Queensland the Smart State
This is a tree that is much more useful than currently recognised. The Wongi is native to tropical
coastal areas of far north Australia and some parts of South-East Asia. In Australia, the people
of Cape York Peninsula and Torres Strait Islands have used the fruit and wood of the Wongi for
ages but other than that, in Australia the tree has had little attention.
Wongi
is closely related to Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), a Central American fruit that is being
grown commercially in many tropical countries. Sapodilla fruits are larger and sweeter and the
tree will grow in cooler areas than Wongi but these factors should not limit attention to Wongi
being grown in the peninsula.
Wongi
wood is hard, heavy and close grained,
making the timber good for carving implements
and ornaments. The plant has documented
medicinal uses and is grown as an amenity
tree in places as far south as Cairns.

Before you start
Can I grow this Crop?
In the wild, this tree can be found growing in locations from exposed, windy sites close to the
sea to sheltered positions behind the coastal hills. Under favourable conditions wongi can
produce their first fruit within five years. Planting material is not readily available from nurseries
so trees will need to be grown by an arrangement with a suitable nursery.
Site Selection
Although stressful conditions will result in slow growth and a longer time till fruiting, the timber
will be denser and have a more interesting grain for woodworking purposes. For best fruit
production, choose a site that is protected from strong winds and has well drained soil of
reasonable fertility. Wongi don’t grow in swampy ground. Mature trees can grow to a height of
over ten meters and have a spreading canopy so they need plenty of room or occasional
pruning.
Wongi grow best in full sun to light shade conditions. They don’t need shade trees and grow
better without competition from other plants.
Varieties
Tree and fruit characteristics vary. Most trees produce oval shaped fruit between 3 and 5 cm
long by 3 cm across with one to two light tan coloured seeds with very hard shells. Flesh
recovery can be over 60%. By looking for better trees and planting their seedlings where they
can be protected and studied, more information on the crop can be learnt and opportunities for
new uses are more likely. In different areas local people will often know where the better fruiting
trees are. Another tree called wongi grows abundantly along the sand dunes of the western
coast of the peninsula. This plant is smaller. It has edible fruit that is smaller and juicy. The deep
red juice leaves a beetroot/mulberry like stain on hands and clothes.
How to grow
Planting material
Seedling trees are most often used but selected wongi
trees can be propagated by grafting and possible
marcotting or air layering smaller branches. Under
normal nursery conditions fresh seed will germinate
evenly and usually within one to two months. Plant the
seed shallow, not buried completely, in well drained mix
and keep the mix moist.
Use larger tubes as young plants don’t like being
disturbed. Three to five litre pots or bags are suitable as
plants may take one year to reach a suitable size for
planting out.
Site preparation
Minimal preparation is needed for most situations.
Planting and care
Make sure trees to be planted are in good health and
strong enough to not suffer during the transplant. Trees
should be about forty cm high with a base of the trunk
diameter of more than one cm. Trees should be fully sun hardened prior to planting. To reduce
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transplant stress, soak the trees in a tub of water just before un-potting. Remove the plant.
Upturn and gently tap plants out of plant pots but cut the trees out of plastic planter bags. In
both cases tease the roots a little before placing in its hole. Gently fill in with topsoil while
compacting with water. Complete the planting by tying to a stake for support while the plant
settles.
Fertilising
Apply well rotted compost two or three times in a year to the ground beneath the canopy. Large
amounts of fertiliser will shock the plant and can burn its roots.
Irrigation
Trees will benefit from being irrigated during extended dry periods in their first two or three
years, until they are well established. They seem to tolerate poorer quality water but not water
with high levels of salt.
Problems (pests, diseases and weeds)
Leaves of young trees can be attacked by case moth larvae and mature fruit are eagerly sought
by birds, flying foxes and fruit flies. Seed of mature fruit can be attacked by a seed weevil that
drills a small neat hole in the hard seed shell.
Harvesting, selling and using
Harvesting
Trees vary in fruiting times with fruit usually available from May to August. The fruit can be
picked when mature and stored till it darkens and becomes soft. Before fruits become fully ripe
they exude a sticky white sap which can cause some problems in harvesting.
Under good conditions a five year old tree can produce one to two kilograms of fruit. The fruit on
a tree ripen over a period of a month or two so hand picking is needed.
Selling
There are various Australian native plant food product buyers who may be interested in buying
this product but its short shelf life, need for careful handling and its seasonality are problems in
marketing it as a fresh fruit. Local processing like drying, jam or sauce making would be worth
looking into.
Ensure you have marketing arrangements in place to sell the crop before considerable outlays
are made.
Using
Both children and adults look forward to the fruiting
season to eat the ripe fruit from trees near their
communities.
The fruit is popular to eat fresh after it is soft ripe or
left to dry increasing its sweetness and flavour. Ripe
wongi have a flavour and texture similar to dates.
The flesh is usually eaten fresh but can be added to
fruit cake mixes and breakfast cereal.
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Recipes
Wongai Sabbi Domboy adapted from a recipe by Anima Pearson in “Torres Strait Cookbook”
Ingredients
• 50 ripe Wongai fruit cut in half, seeds removed
• 2 cups of plain flour
• 2 cups of coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons of baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• Water
Method
1. Place flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and mix
2. Add enough water to make a dough
3. Knead the dough till soft and lump free
4. Into a saucepan combine the Wongai fruit and coconut milk and put on a low heat to boil
5. Cut the dough into small bits and roll each into sausage shape Domboys
6. Just as the mix starts to bubble add the Domboys and stir gently
7. Leave the mix to cook for 3 minutes without stirring
8. By this time the mix should reach boiling again and after a gentle mix the domboys are ready to
serve. The Domboys are like dumplings that sponge up the coconut cream and wongai.
Further reading
• Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) P.C.M. Jansen and others,1991 Basic
list of species and commodity grouping ISBN 90 220 1055 4 and other volumes. Pudoc
Wageningen the Netherlands.
• Wongai an Australian fruit by Roger Goebel 1990Rare fruit council of Australia inc.
newsletter63 July 1990 cover and 2 pages.
Further information on horticulture
DPI&F Business information centre on 13 25 23 – local call 8 am to 6 pm Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday. 9am to
6pm Wednesday (non-Queensland residents, phone 07 3404 6999) E-mail callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au
Native food plants of the Peninsula
This information series is aimed at promoting gardening activities in Cape York Peninsula. The crop plants and
gardening techniques outlined have been chosen with the specific requirements and constraints of the Cape York
Peninsula Area in mind.
Disclaimer
Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances,
professional advice should be sought. While every care has been taken in preparing this publication, the State of
Queensland accepts no responsibility for decisions or actions taken as a result of any data, information, statement or
advice, expressed or implied, contained in this information.
© The State of Queensland, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries [2007]
Inquiries should be addressed to copyright@dpi.qld.gov.au (telephone 61 7 3404 6999)
Date of issue: Tuesday 13 th February 2007
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