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Spear Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea resinifera): Iconic Australian Xanthorrhoea

Overview

Spear Grass Tree is a striking, slow-growing perennial native to Australia. It develops a thick, often blackened trunk (formed from old leaf bases) topped with a crown of long, narrow, grass-like leaves. After many years, it produces a spectacular, tall flower spike (spear) covered in tiny white flowers, attracting birds and insects.

Taxonomy & Nomenclature

Family:	Xanthorrhoeaceae
Genus:	Xanthorrhoea (zan-thor-ROH-ee-uh)
Species:	resinifera (res-in-EE-fer-uh)

Synonym: Xanthorrhoea resinosa.

Cultivation & Uses

Full sun; extremely well-drained, sandy or rocky soil. Very drought-tolerant once established. Fire-adapted; flowering often stimulated by bushfire. Difficult to transplant; best grown from seed. A dramatic specimen for xeriscapes, rock gardens, and Australian native gardens. Protected in the wild.

Grasses and Bamboo: Managing Poplar Suckers: Let One Grow, Skip Root Cutting, and Accept Shade-Tolerant Groundcovers; Why Grass Won't Grow After Tree Removal: Dealing with Decaying Roots; Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana); Palm Grass (Setaria palmifolia); Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans); Tiger Grass (Thysanolaena latifolia): A Tropical, Bamboo-Like Grass for Foliage Effect; Australian Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii): Majestic Trunked Xanthorrhoea; Spear Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea resinifera): Iconic Australian Grasstree; Bottlebrush Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea macronema): Slender Australian Grasstree; Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea nana): Dwarf Australian Grasstree

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