Practical
Plants

Astelia solandri

a perennial evergreen member of the Astelia genus in the family Asteliaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Astelia
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
2 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Edible uses

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

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[1].

Plant part
Fruit
Product or use
Oil
Plant part
Stem

Environment

Range
New Zealand
Habitat
Wet lowland forests, where it is epiphytic on tall trees[2][3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
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 - 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[3].

Cultivation

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

Requires a damp humus-rich fertile soil in sun or semi-shade, sheltered from cold drying winds[3]. An epiphyte, growing in the branches of tall trees[3]. 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[3]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. Brooker. S. G., Cambie. R. C. and Cooper. R. C. Economic Native Plants of New Zealand. Oxford University Press 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-19-558229-2

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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