Australian Grass Tree

[Al in Kona]

Here's a pic of one Australian Grass tree I have 'slowly' growing in the garden. I've heard that there are a number of different species and I have no idea which one this might be. Any of you Aussies have an idea?

It reminds me a bit of the plant, Agave geminiflora, but has much finer grass-like leaves. Any of you growing it?

[ariscott]

Al,

I just planted mine last week. Still smaller than yours, probably going to take 30 years to develop a trunk... oh well... can't afford the big one here in Darwin. Not sure about the species, sorry... I just decided that I need one last week, so I don't know much about them.

There is a blue one that looks so nice. Here is a pic of one growing at Utopia Palm. Gorgeous!!

Regards, Ari

[Wai`anae Steve]

Here's a pic of one Australian Grass tree I have 'slowly' growing in the garden. I've heard that there are a number of different species and I have no idea which one this might be. Any of you Aussies have an idea?

It reminds me a bit of the plant, Agave geminiflora, but has much finer grass-like leaves. Any of you growing it?

Looks Great Al, where did you get ours???? How long have you had it????

Wai`anae Steve

[Kris]

Dear Ari

that blue form is mouthwatering...and looks great !

thanks for that lovely still..

lots of love,

Kris

[philinsydney]

Very few people would be brave (or foolish) enough to ID a grasstree from a photo. They are difficult to identify even when you are standing next to them (and they hibridise naturally as well).

We might get some clue if you cut a leaf through the middle and get the shape of the cross section.

[philinsydney]

I've got a key here for the various shapes of cross-sections of grasstree leaves taken midway along the leaf. For instance, the common trunked species around Sydney is X. arborea, which has rather wide, flat leaves, so it is rather linear in cross-section (G). Your grass-tree is more likely to be like H or I, with thicker, more squarely rounded leaves, such as X johnsonii

If you recorded this shape, as well as the leaf width and thickness, we would at least be able to eliminate some species.