This taxon has been called Caesia vittata in many previous publications dealing with plants of southeastern Australia. There are problems with typification and application of the name Caesia vittata, but it is here treated as a synonym of Caesia parviflora[].

Common Name: Blue Grass Lily

General Information

Caesia calliantha is a herbaceous, perennial plant producing a cluster of grass-like leaves 8 - 50cm long and flowering stems 15 - 70cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Australia - Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales

Habitat

Usually grows in the grassy understorey of sclerophyll forest on damp sandy or clay soils[, ]. Loamy soils or open woods in all parts of the country.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.40 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Caesia calliantha can tolerate short-lived temperatures down to around -7°c in its native environment[].
Plants are likely to require a well-drained soil in a sunny position and some sort of protection in the winter.
This species is considered to be no more than a variety of Caesia parviflora by some botanists[].

Edible Uses

Root. We have no more details other than that the roots are fibrous and grasslike with tubers 10 - 40mm long at their tips[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no details on this species but suggest that it can be sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse. Stored seed should be sown in the spring in a warm greenhouse. Sow the seed thinly and grow the plants on in the seed pot for their first year, giving liquid feeds if necessary. Pot the plants up into individual pots in early spring and grow them on in the greenhouse for a second year before planting them out in early summer.
Division.