Xanthorrhoea resinosa

Pers.

Grass tree

Xanthorrhoeaceae Edible: Leaf base, Flower nectar 665 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Xanthorrhoea resinosa (synonyms X. hastilis, X. resinifera), is known as one of the grass trees, a mid-sized plant in the genus Xanthorrhoea. The specific epithet is from the Latin, meaning “having resin”. This perennial shrub is found in heathland or eucalyptus forest. This plant usually has no trunk, or a small trunk about 60 cm (24 in) high, under the skirt of leaves. It may grow to 2.5 metres (8 ft) tall. Similar in appearance to Xanthorrhoea media. The leaves are only 3 to 4 mm wide and glaucous. Flowering occurs between August and October. The flowering spike is shorter than the scape, and is particularly furry, due to the felty bracts.

Description

A small bush. It grows 1 m high. The trunk is below the ground. The leaves are 1.7 m long and 6 mm wide. They are grey-green. They are triangle shaped in cross section. They form a clump at ground level. The flowers are carried on a tall woody stem up to 2 m high. The flowers form the top 80-100 cm of the stem. The flowers are creamy white in colour.

Edible Uses

The creamy white section at the base of the leaves is edible, as is the terminal bud or growing heart. The flowers contain sweet nectar that can be sucked fresh or soaked in water to create a sweet drink. The starch from the trunk is edible but harvesting it kills the plant.

Traditional Uses

The flowers contain a small amount of sweet nectar. It can be sucked or soaked in water to produce a sweet drink. The white-coloured section at the base of the leaves is edible. The terminal bud or growing heart can be eaten. The starch from the trunk is edible but this kills the tree.