Perching lily (Astelia solandri)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
Requires a damp humus-rich fertile soil in sun or semi-shade, sheltered from cold drying winds. 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. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.
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.
Edible uses
Fruit - raw. Sweet, fleshy and juicy, it is pleasant to eat. The base of the flowering stem can be eaten. An oil in the seed contains 25% gamma-linoleic acid, this compares with only 9% in evening primrose oil.
Habitat
Wet lowland forests, where it is epiphytic on tall trees.
Native range
New Zealand