Asparagaceae FAMILY

Phormium colensoi

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

The root is highly purgative[ 173 Title Native Edible Plants of New Zealand. Publication Author Crowe. A. Publisher Hodder and Stoughton Year 1990 ISBN 0-340-508302 Description A very well written and illustrated book based on the authors own experiments with living on a native diet. ].

Botanical Description

Phormium colensoi is a evergreen perennial plant, forming a clump of leaves and spreading by means of stout rhizomes. The erect leaves are of a hard, tough texture, rigid except at the tip, around 10 - 12cm wide and around 60 - 150cm tall. A flowering stem up to 3 metres tall is produced in the summer[ 11 Title Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Publication Author Bean. W. Publisher Murray Year 1981 ISBN - Description A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. It is grown as an ornamental.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeNew Zealand - North, South and Stewart Islands

HabitatCoastal cliffs to mountain slopes, locally dominant on shady faces in high country, North, South and Stewart Islands[ 44 Title Flora of New Zealand. Publication Author Allan. H. H. Website http://floraseries.landcareresearch.co.nz/pages/Book.aspx?fileName=Flora%201.xml Publisher Government Printer, Wellington. Year 1961 ISBN - Description The standard work, in 5 volumes though only the first two are of interest to the plant project. Very good on habitats. There is also an on-line version. ].