Practical
Plants

Aciphylla colensoi

Wild Spaniard

a perennial evergreen member of the Aciphylla genus in the family Umbelliferae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
0.9 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Insects
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - cooked. Aromatic[1]. The plant yields a resin that is used as a chewing gum[1]. Shoots[1]. No further details.

Product or use
Gum
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

Environment

Range
New Zealand.
Habitat
Montane to sub-alpine altitudes in North and South Islands between latitudes 38 and 43° 30' south[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[2]. Stored seed should be sown in a greenhouse in late winter or early spring. Germination can be very slow. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter before planting them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a perfectly drained gritty soil in full sun[3]. Prefers a climate with rather damp air[3]. Plants are hardy to about -10°c and are succeeding outdoors in a mild garden in N. Ireland[3]. Dioecious. Female plants sometimes have a few male flowers but usually male and female plants must be grown if seed is required[2].

References

  1. Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-340-508302

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  3. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961-00-00

    ↩

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