Aciphylla squarrosa
Speargrass
a perennial evergreen member of the Aciphylla genus in the family Umbelliferae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Umbelliferae
- Genus
- Aciphylla
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Height
- 2.5 m
- Spread
- 1.5 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[2]. A very good taste[3][4]. The resin is used as a chewing gum[2]. Shoots and young stems[2]. No further details.
- Product or use
- Gum
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The plant yields a semi-transparent resinous gum that is edible and also used in perfumery[1].
- Product or use
- Gum
Environment
- Range
- New Zealand.
- Habitat
- Found from sea-level to montane areas in North and South Islands to latitude 41° 30' south[7].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- 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[6]. 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[6]. Easily grown in a moist but well-drained soil in full sun[5]. Hardy to about -10°c according to one report[6] whilst another says it is hardy to about -15°c[5]. Dioecious but female plants have occasional male flowers[6]. Male and female plants must normally be grown if seed is required. The flowers are sweetly scented[5].
References
Laing. and Blackwell. Plants of New Zealand. Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd 1907-00-00
Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-340-508302
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961-00-00