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Aciphylla squarrosa - J.R.Forst.&G.Forst.

Speargrass

Author	J.R.Forst.&G.Forst.	Botanical references	44, 200
Family	Umbelliferae	Genus	Aciphylla
Synonyms
Known Hazards	None known
Range	New Zealand.
Habitat	Found from sea-level to montane areas in North and South Islands to latitude 41° 30' south[44].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Perennial growing to 2.5m by 1.5m.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves; Root.

Edible Uses: Gum.

Root - cooked. Aromatic[173]. A very good taste[177, 183]. The resin is used as a chewing gum[173]. Shoots and young stems[173]. No further details.

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

Other Uses

Gum.

The plant yields a semi-transparent resinous gum that is edible and also used in perfumery[128].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers are sweetly scented.

Cultivation details

Requires a perfectly drained gritty soil in full sun[200]. Easily grown in a moist but well-drained soil in full sun[187]. Hardy to about -10°c according to one report[200] whilst another says it is hardy to about -15°c[187]. Dioecious but female plants have occasional male flowers[200]. Male and female plants must normally be grown if seed is required. The flowers are sweetly scented[187].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe[200]. Stored seed should be sown in a greenhouse in late winter or early spring. Germination can be very slow. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter before planting them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Links

References

[44] Allan. H. H. Flora of New Zealand. Government Printer, Wellington. 1961
The standard work, in 3 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats.

[128] Laing. and Blackwell. Plants of New Zealand. Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd 1907
An old flora of New Zealand in a readable style. Some details of plant uses.

[173] Crowe. A. Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Hodder and Stoughton 1990 ISBN 0-340-508302
A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[187] Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991 ISBN 0-330-30936-9
Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

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