Astelia solandri
| Astelia solandri | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen Cross Pollinated | |
| Height: | 7' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Astelia solandri
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: Requires a damp humus-rich fertile soil in sun or semi-shade, sheltered from cold drying winds[1]. An epiphyte, growing in the branches of tall trees[1].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c, perhaps even lower if given shelter from cold drying winds[1].
Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
Range: New Zealand
Habitat: Wet lowland forests, where it is epiphytic on tall trees[2][1].
Edibility: Fruit - raw. Sweet, fleshy and juicy, it is pleasant to eat[2].
The base of the flowering stem can be eaten[2].
An oil in the seed contains 25% gamma-linoleic acid, this compares with only 9% in evening primrose oil[3].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Dioecious
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Crowe, Andrew. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton, 1990.
- ↑ Brooker, Stanley. Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Oxford University Press, 1991.