Family: Asphodelaceae
Common name: Australian grass tree, Austral grasstree, Grass tree, Bukkup
Australian grass tree is an iconic species native to Australia, but is now grown as ornamental trees in many parts of the world.
They are slow-growing trees that are resilient to bush fires, droughts, and other adverse growing conditions.
Plant characteristics
Australian grass trees can grow to a height of 2-3 meters with a trunk diameter of 1 meter. The bark is rough and corky, and starts branching after the tree is quite tall.
Many a times, the trunk is black in color due to the bushfires it has lived through. Older leaves bend down forming a skirt below the crown and hence the trunk is not visible at all in small trees.
Leaves of the the tree are quite distinctive – long, narrow, wiry, and grass-like, giving the tree its name. Australian grass trees can be recognized by the diamond-shaped cross section of the leaves.
The dense, tufted crown of leaves at the top of the trunk makes the Australian grass trees quite unique, each leaf .5 to 1 meter long and 2-3 mm in diameter.
The ends of the leaves form a beautiful spherical shape, the tip of each leaf tip touching the circumference of a virtual sphere.
Another distinctive feature of the Australian grass tree are the tall flowering spikes that can grow up to 2 meters tall, emerging from the center of the leaves.
Flowers are really, small, creamy-white in color and packed densely on the spikes. Australian grass trees take several years to start flowering, and even when it does, they do not flower every year.
When the tree flowers, its quite a spectacle, tall pillars shooting to the sky from a tuft of grass-like leaves. These flowers attract pollinators like birds, bees, insects, and butterflies that swarm in large numbers around these spikes.
Fruits of the Australian grass tree are small, woody capsules that contain multiple seeds. They are initially pale green, turning yellow and then brown as they mature, before splitting open to release the seeds.
Gardening Tips
Australian grass trees as the name suggests grow in Australia-like weather – temperate to warm. They can be grown in gardens, landscaped areas, or glass houses in well-drained, sandy soil. They are tolerant of frost, but too much water will lead to root rot.
Good sunlight is needed for the plant to grow well. There is no need for pruning or fertilization, though you can cut some of the older leaves so that the trunk is visible.
Uses of Australian grass tree
The pith of the Australian grass tree can be eaten raw or roasted. Bases of the leaves and growing stems were also used as food in olden days.
Flowers have an abundance of nectar and are hence used for making a sweet drink, by boiling them in water.
The tree stem produces a sticky resin that is used commercially for making furniture, sealing wax, varnish, binding agents, and for staining wood.
Australian grass trees can live for over 300 years growing slowly over many years. They are resistant to bushfires that are very common on Australia, making them quite durable.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds or root division. Seed germination can take many months. Root division can be done only after the plant has grown considerably, and it might risk the parent plant. These difficulties in propagation makes the tree quite rare, a collector’s item.
Photographed at: KEW garden, London
