Grass Trees
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane
It is hard to imagine a plant more Australian than the Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii). They have evolved over many years to be incredibly hardy, they can handle droughts and extreme temperatures from bush fires that burn the trunk black. There are many different varieties throughout Australia and they grow in all sorts of different conditions from water logged ground to areas that don’t receive rainfall for many years.
Today they are exported extensively across the world and last year they were the main feature plant in the Australian award winning entry at the greatest garden show on earth, The Chelsea Flower Show.
The incredible Grass tree has evolved over millions of years to handle our hot dry climate and individually they can live for hundreds of years or even a thousand years as Trevor finds out in the Grass Tree farm he visits and it stands at about 6 metres tall!
The sad thing is the Grass Tree is becoming endangered because of housing development expansion, but you can play your part in having a Grass Tree beauty that might live for hundreds of years in your garden.
Before you think about packing up the spade and digging them out of the bush, be aware you can’t do it, because it is illegal. You can buy one from a licensed salvage specialist like Grass Trees Australia and play your part in their conservation. They are very careful when they take them out of the ground and this will guarantee success when you transplant them into your garden.
Surrounding the roots are microbial fungi called mycorrhiza which assist the roots function by providing them with and allowing them to take up nutrients better. If you do buy a tree one important thing to do is make sure the mycorrhiza grows quickly as this will keep your tree looking great.
Getting your hands on these stunning and unique feature plants is as easy as an internet search these days and within hours you can have your own ancient Aussie flora feature. They grow well in pots as well as free draining soils and grow well along side other natives and a wide range of exotics.
When it does flower, it produces spikes, which can grow up to two metres and eventually turn brown. These spikes were used by the aboriginal people as hunting spears ideal for developing a barb suitable for fishing.
Grass trees are ancient Aussies who deserve a place in our landscape. They cost more to establish in your garden but they are an unmistakable feature that will last forever and hardly use any water.
For more information on Grass Trees visit: www.grasstrees.com.au
It is hard to imagine a plant more Australian than the Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii). They have evolved over many years to be incredibly hardy, they can handle droughts and extreme temperatures from bush fires that burn the trunk black. There are many different varieties throughout Australia and they grow in all sorts of different conditions from water logged ground to areas that don’t receive rainfall for many years.
Today they are exported extensively across the world and last year they were the main feature plant in the Australian award winning entry at the greatest garden show on earth, The Chelsea Flower Show.
The incredible Grass tree has evolved over millions of years to handle our hot dry climate and individually they can live for hundreds of years or even a thousand years as Trevor finds out in the Grass Tree farm he visits and it stands at about 6 metres tall!
The sad thing is the Grass Tree is becoming endangered because of housing development expansion, but you can play your part in having a Grass Tree beauty that might live for hundreds of years in your garden.
Before you think about packing up the spade and digging them out of the bush, be aware you can’t do it, because it is illegal. You can buy one from a licensed salvage specialist like Grass Trees Australia and play your part in their conservation. They are very careful when they take them out of the ground and this will guarantee success when you transplant them into your garden.
Surrounding the roots are microbial fungi called mycorrhiza which assist the roots function by providing them with and allowing them to take up nutrients better. If you do buy a tree one important thing to do is make sure the mycorrhiza grows quickly as this will keep your tree looking great.
Getting your hands on these stunning and unique feature plants is as easy as an internet search these days and within hours you can have your own ancient Aussie flora feature. They grow well in pots as well as free draining soils and grow well along side other natives and a wide range of exotics.
When it does flower, it produces spikes, which can grow up to two metres and eventually turn brown. These spikes were used by the aboriginal people as hunting spears ideal for developing a barb suitable for fishing.
Grass trees are ancient Aussies who deserve a place in our landscape. They cost more to establish in your garden but they are an unmistakable feature that will last forever and hardly use any water.
For more information on Grass Trees visit: www.grasstrees.com.au
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