Geitonoplesium cymosum
| Geitonoplesium cymosum | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 13' |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Geitonoplesium cymosum (common name: scrambling lily)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[1]. Germination is sporadic and some seed can take more than 12 months. Pot up the plants when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first 2 winters. If trying them outdoors, plant them out in early summer and give some winter protection for their first year or two.
Division.
Cultivation: Prefers a humus-rich loamy soil[1]. There is very little information about growing this plant in Britain but it succeeds in most soils when grown in a shady position in Australian gardens[2]. It is likely to require a sunny sheltered position in this country[K].
This species requires greenhouse protection in Britain[1]. The plants are hardy to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[2] but this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers plus our longer, colder and wetter winters. The plants produce new growth from a tuberous rootstock, and it is most likely that this root is hardier than the top-growth. It would therefore be worthwhile giving a good protective mulch to the roots over the winter to increase the chances of the plants survival[K].
A climbing plant, supporting itself by twining around the thin branches of other plants[K]. The flowers, which are borne in terminal cymes, are sweetly scented[3].
Range: Australia - New South Wales.
Habitat: Moist eucalyptus forests, sparse rainforests and creek banks[4][5].
Edibility: Young shoots - cooked. They make a fine substitute for asparagus[6][7][8][5].
Usage: The stems of the plant are used as rough ropes[4].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wrigley, John and Murray Fagg. Australian Native Plants. Collins, 1988.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cribb, Alan. Useful Wild Plants in Australia. William Collins, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Low, Tim. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson, 1989.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Ewart, Alfred. Recording Census of the Victorian Flora. 1923.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.