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Common Name: Chocolate Lily

General Information

Dichopogon strictus is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.90 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

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

Habitat

Open forests and heathlands in sandy soils[]. Also found in grassland[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.90 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. It tolerates temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[] but this cannot be translated directly to this country due to our cooler summers and longer, wetter and colder winters. It is likely to need protection when grown outdoors in Britain.
Requires a sandy loam and leafmold[]. Succeeds in most soils in a sunny position in Australian gardens[].
The flowers have a delicious scent of chocolate[, ].

Edible Uses

Root - raw or cooked[, ]. It is usually sweet but can be bitter[]. Several tubers up to 3.5cm long are produced by each plant, usually up to 15cm below the surface of the soil[].
Flowers - raw. Chocolate scented[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division.