Herb: Beach Flax Lily


Latin name: Dianella congesta


Family: Phormiaceae



Edible parts of Beach Flax Lily:

Fruit - raw or cooked. The best tasting of the genus. The fruit is up to 1.5cm in diameter.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Perennial

Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
May to
July

Habitat of the herb:

Stabilized coastal sand dunes, forming mats in gregarious colonies that are often extensive

Other uses of Beach Flax Lily:

A very strong silky fibre is obtained from the leaves. The leaves are also used in making baskets. Judging by the plants native habit, this should be a good plant for stabilizing sand dunes.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in luke-warm water and then sow in spring in gentle heat in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 25°C. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two years. When large enough, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division as the plants come into growth in the spring. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation of Beach Flax Lily:

Stabilized coastal sand dunes, forming mats in gregarious colonies that are often extensive

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Dianella congesta:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.