Common Name:

General Information

Astelia solandri is an evergreen, perennial plant producing a dense cluster of narrow, arching leaves 100 - 200cm long[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and was traditionally used to make baskets

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

New Zealand - North and South Islands

Habitat

Epiphytic on tall trees in wet lowland forests[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	1.30 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Astelia solandri is found in the lowland forests of New Zealand, where it experiences mild, moist winters and moist summers. It does experience frosts and can tolerate occasional, short-lived temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c, perhaps even lower if given shelter from cold drying winds[].
Requires a damp humus-rich fertile soil in sun or semi-shade, sheltered from cold drying winds[]. Usually found as an epiphyte, growing in the branches of tall trees[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw. Sweet, fleshy and juicy, it is pleasant to eat[]. It makes a pleasant jelly[]. The green to yellowish-brown or red fruits are around 4 - 5mm long[].

The base of the flowering stem can be eaten[]. Tender, though the flavour is rather bland[].

An oil in the seed contains 25% gamma-linoleic acid, this compares with only 9% in evening primrose oil[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A fibre is obtained from the leaves[].
The leaf fibre can be used to make paper[].
The leaves are woven into baskets[]. Combined with the leave of other plants, they are used to make ornamental baskets with different hues[].

The snowy white downy fibres from the underside of leaves was used by women to ornament heads and hair[].

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[].