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Useful Temperate Plants

Doryanthes palmeri

W.Bull

Doryanthaceae


This genua of only two species was thought to belong to the Agavaceae (Amaryllidaceae) family until genetic evidence showed that it is younger than the agaves. Therefore it was given its own family, Doryanthaceae[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
]..

+ Synonyms

Doryanthes excelsa guilfoylei (F.M.Bailey) F.M.Bailey

Doryanthes excelsa palmeri (W.Bull) F.M.Bailey

Doryanthes guilfoylei F.M.Bailey

Doryanthes larkinii C.Moore

Doryanthes palmeri larkinii (C.Moore) C.Moore

Common Name: Giant Spear Lily

No Image.

General Information

Doryanthes palmeri is an evergreen perennial plant forming one or more rosettes of long, sword-shaped leaves around 3 - 4 metres tall and after some years a flowering stem that can be 5 metres tall[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
]. Individual rosettes die after the plant flowers, but the plant usually produces one or more new rosettes and thus continues living[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is the potential source of a strong fibre and is also grown as an ornamentl.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

286
Title
Flora of Australia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The full information from the Flora of Australia - on-line. An excellent resource.
,
365
Title
Flora of New South Wales
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/floraonline.htm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line resource giving a brief botanical description of all the native plants of New South Wales, their habitat and range, together with diagrams and photographs of the plants.

Range

Eastern Australia - northeast New South Wales, southeast Queensland

Habitat

Coastal ranges, usually in wet eucalypt open-forest on steep slopes[
286
Title
Flora of Australia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
The full information from the Flora of Australia - on-line. An excellent resource.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Shrub
Height4.00 m
Growth RateMedium
PollinatorsBirds
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Doryanthes palmeri is native to the subtropical regions of eastern Australia. A xerophytic plant, it is adapted to the dry conditions of the region and does not require much water. However, the leaves can turn yellow in heat above 40°c[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].
Requires a position in full sun or only light shade[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
]. Succeeds in most soil types, including nutrient deficient soils, but will grow better if nutrients are added[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
]. Plants can thrive in windy environments due to the structural support provided by the ribbing in the leaves[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].
Flowers are produced in the spring but individual rosettes can take over 13 years to flower. Flowering can be brought on by bushfires, which also promotes the sprouting of root bulbs[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].. Flowering can be encouraged in a garden setting by ensuring that the plant is grown in full sun[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].

Edible Uses

Young flowering stems - roasted[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].

The roots can be mashed into a pulp and made into cakes for eating later[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The leaves are a mass of fibres of great strength, which can be prepared either by boiling or maceration. They are suitable for brush making, matting, etc[
454
Title
Useful Fiber Plants of the World
Publication
 
Author
Dodge C.R.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
USDA; Washington.
Year
1897
ISBN
 
Description
A rather dated, but very comprehensive catalogue of fibre plants from around the world. The book can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
601
Title
The Useful Native Plants of Australia.
Publication
 
Author
Maiden J.H.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Turner & Co.; London.
Year
1889
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of the uses of many Australian plants and other species naturalised, or at least growing, in Australia. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Propagation

Seed germination can be encouraged by fire or can be assisted with the use of commercial products such as smoke water. Soaking seeds in water for eight hours before planting may also assist in germination[
343
Title
Growing Native Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/
Publisher
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A series of articles giving details of cultivation and matters of general interest (including a few plant uses) on over 250 Australian plants.
].
Division
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Doryanthes+palmeri>

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