Herb: Speargrass


Latin name: Aciphylla squarrosa


Family: Umbelliferae



Edible parts of Speargrass:

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

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
2.5 m
(8 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
June
to July

Scent:
Scented
Perennial

Habitat of the herb:

Found from sea-level to montane areas in North and South Islands to latitude 41° 30' south.

Other uses of Speargrass:

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

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. 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.

Cultivation of Speargrass:

Found from sea-level to montane areas in North and South Islands to latitude 41° 30' south.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Aciphylla squarrosa:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.