Astelia alpina
| Astelia alpina | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 1' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Astelia alpina
Propagation: Seed - sow late winter in a greenhouse. Germination can be very slow, sometimes taking more than 12 months.
When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade for at least the first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in late spring or early summer once they are 15cm or more tall.
Division in spring[1].
Cultivation: We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it could succeed outdoors at least in the milder parts of this country. It survives temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[2] but this cannot be directly translated to British gardens because of our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Requires a damp humus-rich fertile soil in sun or semi-shade, sheltered from cold drying winds[1].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: Australia - New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.
Habitat: Mountain moorlands, especially in boggy situations, in the alpine and sub-alpine zones[3].
Edibility: Fruit - raw. Sweet, fleshy and juicy, it is pleasant to eat[4][3][2][5].
Leaf base[3][5]. No more details.
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Dioecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.
- ↑ Cribb, Alan and Joan Cribb. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana, 1976.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Crowe, Andrew. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.