About
Astelia fragrans is a perennial herb that forms dense clumps, reaching heights and widths of approximately 1 meter (39 inches). The plant features elongated, strap-like leaves that are a rich green on the surface, with a shiny silver sheen underneath. The leaves arch elegantly upward and outward from the plant's base, measuring up to 1.2 meters (4 feet) in length and 8 centimeters (3.5 inches) in width. In spring, the center of the plant produces fragrant green flowers in panicles, which are followed by clusters of round orange berries, about 1 centimeter (0.5 inches) in diameter, appearing on female plants during summer. As a dioecious species, Astelia fragrans requires both male and female specimens for berry production. This plant serves as a striking architectural element, making it an effective focal point in urban and courtyard gardens.
About the genus
Astelia consists of evergreen perennials that grow in clumps and have rhizomatous roots. They feature arching, linear leaves with a keeled shape and a silvery hue. The plants produce panicles of small flowers that are either pale greenish or brown, and female specimens will bear orange or red berries afterward.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H3
Plant details
- Plant type
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.5-1 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Architectural, City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Gravel garden, Sub-tropical
- Fragrance
- Flower
Care notes
- Cultivation
- A half-hardy perennial which may need protection against hard frosts and temperatures below -10°C. It is happy in well-drained but moisture-retentive soil, in partial shade.
- Pruning
- Remove or trim winter-damaged foliage in spring
- Propagation
- Propagate by division spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free