Strawberry gum vs Lemon myrtle
The short answer
The two Australian leaf spices built on a single overwhelming molecule, sold side by side and used the same way — dried, ground and by the pinch in sweet dishes. Lemon myrtle is about nine-tenths citral and tastes of intense lemon; strawberry gum is almost entirely methyl cinnamate and tastes of strawberry and cinnamon. Neither stands in for the other: one makes a dish taste of lemon, the other of berries and warm spice.
Side by side
| Strawberry gum | Lemon myrtle | |
|---|---|---|
| Botanical identity | Eucalyptus olida L.A.S.Johnson & K.D.Hill | Backhousia citriodora F.Muell. |
| Part used | leaf | leaf |
| Origin | The Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, where it grows wild in a small area. | The subtropical rainforests of central and south-eastern Queensland. |
| Flavour notes | strawberry, cinnamon, fruity, balsamic, sweet | lemon, zesty, herbal, sherbet, faintly bitter |
| Heat | Scoville does not apply | Scoville does not apply |
| Flavour | Sweet and fruity with a faint resinous bitterness. | Strong lemon with a slight bitterness and a green, herbal finish. Used in small amounts. |
| Aroma | Sweet, fruity and balsamic — strawberry and cinnamon rather than eucalyptus. | Intense, clean lemon — sherbet and zest — with a faintly eucalyptus or herbal edge. The leaf oil is typically ninety per cent or more citral, which is why it smells so purely of lemon. |
Which should you buy?
Strawberry gum
Cut leaf for infusing, ground for baking; buy small quantities of either.
Lemon myrtle
Buy small quantities of ground leaf for baking and cooking, and whole leaf for tea. Neither keeps its lemon for long once opened.
Full detail on strawberry gum and lemon myrtle, including evidence grades and sources for every claim above.