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Astelia (Astelia)
They are rhizomatous tufted perennials native to various islands in the Pacific, Indian, and South Atlantic Oceans, as well as to Australia and to the southernmost tip of South America. Occasionally they are epiphytic. 
Lifespan
Perennial
Key Facts About Astelia
Feedback
Attributes of Astelia
Leaf type
Evergreen
Scientific Classification of Astelia
Distribution of Astelia
Feedback
Distribution Map of Astelia
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Astelia
Feedback
Astelia is known for its structural foliage and adaptability to varied environments. Basic care involves providing bright, indirect light, ensuring well-draining soil with moderate moisture, and maintaining mild to warm temperatures. Common challenges include root rot from overwatering, leaf spotting from hard water, and sensitivity to extreme cold. In terms of seasonal care, astelia may require increased humidity in summer and protection from frost in winter, with careful watering adjustments throughout the year to prevent soil dryness or waterlogging.
Exploring the Astelia Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Bush flax
Bush flax (Astelia fragrans) is grown ornamentally for its delightful bunched appearance and long, sword-shaped evergreen leaves. The female plant produces orange berries that attract birds to the garden, who then spread the seeds, helping the plant to propagate. The Latin name fragrans means fragrant and refers to the plant's aromatic spring flowers.
Bush flax
Bush flax has many traditional uses, including hat-making and wrapping eels before cooking. In landscaping, this plant is a great inclusion in low garden beds since it only grows to around 50 cm tall.
Tank lily
Tank lily is notable for successfully adapting to living high up in trees, where it often grows in large colonies. Its long, V-shaped leaves funnel water into a reservoir where the plant saves it for dry spells. One mosquito species in New Zealand exclusively uses this plant for breeding. It also provides food for a rare bat species and many birds.
Kaiwharawhara
Kaiwharawhara is a striking perennial with flax-like foliage. Arching, sword-shaped, silvery-green leaves form dense tussocks, creating a robust, textural presence in its native forest understory. This New Zealand native endures shady conditions, often thriving on forest margins or riverbanks, where its distinctive, resilient form contributes to the ecology by stabilizing the soil.
Coastal astelia
Astelia banksii is an evergreen silver-green plant from the beaches of New Zealand.
Astelia westland
Astelia westland is a bush flax with distinctive silvery green leaves that stand out from the green leaves of its parent plant. It is named "Westand" for the region of New Zealand's South Island where it originated. This evergreen grass provides year-round color and is a good plant to grow in containers or around patio gardens.
Astelia graminea
Astelia graminea is a striking perennial with a tufted grass-like appearance. Its slender, arching leaves, emanating from a central base, create a fountain of vibrant greenery. These leaves possess an adaptability that allows the plant to thrive in its native, often well-drained and sunny habitats. Astelia graminea's understated yet enchanting inflorescences, subtle and sometimes hidden, contribute to its allure, making it a unique addition to any garden setting.
Pua'akuhinia
Pua'akuhinia is characterized by its clumping habit and silver-green, sword-like leaves that create a tufted appearance. Its subtle, yet striking, inflorescences blossom from the center, indicative of its adaptation to understory habitats in native forests. This plant's resilience and distinct foliage are key identifiers, often thriving on damp substrates.
All Species of Astelia
Bush flax
Bush flax
Bush flax (Astelia fragrans) is grown ornamentally for its delightful bunched appearance and long, sword-shaped evergreen leaves. The female plant produces orange berries that attract birds to the garden, who then spread the seeds, helping the plant to propagate. The Latin name fragrans means fragrant and refers to the plant's aromatic spring flowers.
Bush flax
Bush flax
Bush flax has many traditional uses, including hat-making and wrapping eels before cooking. In landscaping, this plant is a great inclusion in low garden beds since it only grows to around 50 cm tall.
Tank lily
Tank lily
Tank lily is notable for successfully adapting to living high up in trees, where it often grows in large colonies. Its long, V-shaped leaves funnel water into a reservoir where the plant saves it for dry spells. One mosquito species in New Zealand exclusively uses this plant for breeding. It also provides food for a rare bat species and many birds.
Kaiwharawhara
Kaiwharawhara
Kaiwharawhara is a striking perennial with flax-like foliage. Arching, sword-shaped, silvery-green leaves form dense tussocks, creating a robust, textural presence in its native forest understory. This New Zealand native endures shady conditions, often thriving on forest margins or riverbanks, where its distinctive, resilient form contributes to the ecology by stabilizing the soil.
Coastal astelia
Coastal astelia
Astelia banksii is an evergreen silver-green plant from the beaches of New Zealand.
Astelia westland
Astelia westland
Astelia westland is a bush flax with distinctive silvery green leaves that stand out from the green leaves of its parent plant. It is named "Westand" for the region of New Zealand's South Island where it originated. This evergreen grass provides year-round color and is a good plant to grow in containers or around patio gardens.
Astelia graminea
Astelia graminea
Astelia graminea is a striking perennial with a tufted grass-like appearance. Its slender, arching leaves, emanating from a central base, create a fountain of vibrant greenery. These leaves possess an adaptability that allows the plant to thrive in its native, often well-drained and sunny habitats. Astelia graminea's understated yet enchanting inflorescences, subtle and sometimes hidden, contribute to its allure, making it a unique addition to any garden setting.
Pua'akuhinia
Pua'akuhinia
Pua'akuhinia is characterized by its clumping habit and silver-green, sword-like leaves that create a tufted appearance. Its subtle, yet striking, inflorescences blossom from the center, indicative of its adaptation to understory habitats in native forests. This plant's resilience and distinct foliage are key identifiers, often thriving on damp substrates.
Astelia microsperma
Astelia microsperma
Astelia microsperma is a perennial plant that features tufted, long, slender leaves arranged in a rosette pattern. The leaves may have a silvery or greenish hue, capturing light efficiently in the understory of its native habitat, which often consists of forests or subalpine environments. Small, inconspicuous flowers are characteristic of astelia microsperma, befitting its name 'microsperma,' which reflects the tiny seeds it produces.
Chatham island kakaha
Chatham island kakaha
Chatham island kakaha is named for its native Chatham Islands in New Zealand. It grows in an attractive mound of sword-shaped leaves that have earned it the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It is well-suited to a sheltered, wind-protected location in city, courtyard, and coastal gardens.
Pineapple grass
Pineapple grass
Pineapple grass is a resilient mountain dweller with strap-like silver-green leaves that clump together tightly, forming tussocks. This adaptation not only gives pineapple grass a cushioned appearance but also shields its base from the harsh alpine cold. Small, inconspicuous flowers may occasionally emerge, blending seamlessly with its foliage.
Astelia nivicola
Astelia nivicola
Astelia nivicola is a hardy, clump-forming perennial with long, narrow silver-green leaves that create a distinctive tufted appearance. Often found in subalpine zones, its resilience to cold environments is exemplified by frost-resistant foliage, which enables it to thrive in snow-prone habitats. The plant's inconspicuous flowers and unique, vertical growth allow it to stand out amidst the rugged terrain.
Astelia linearis var. novae-zelandiae
Astelia linearis var. novae-zelandiae
Astelia linearis var. novae-zelandiae is a striking, tufted perennial herb characterized by narrow, silvery-green leaves that cascade gracefully from a central rosette. Its origins in the cool, alpine environments of New Zealand have shaped its adaptability to rugged conditions, thriving in rocky soils and withstanding chill winds. This variety stands out in gardens and natural landscapes for both its resilience and its sculptural, metallic foliage.
Astelia skottsbergii
Astelia skottsbergii
Astelia skottsbergii is a resilient, perennial herb found primarily in subalpine regions. Its robust, sword-shaped leaves form a dense clumping rosette, a configuration that conserves moisture and withstands cold climates. The silvery-green foliage, often with a subtle shimmer, reflects sunlight, reducing water loss. This hardy species thrives in well-drained soils, surviving where others cannot.
Swamp astelia
Swamp astelia
Swamp astelia is a robust perennial with broad, flax-like leaves that form a dense, shimmering rosette. Native to forest understories, its silvery foliage reflects dim light, optimizing photosynthesis. The plant produces inconspicuous flowers, valued more for foliage than blooms, and thrives in moist, well-drained soils shielded from harsh sunlight.
Astelia petriei
Astelia petriei
Astelia petriei is a hardy perennial known for its clumping growth habit and narrow, silver-green leaves that form striking tussocks. This plant thrives in alpine environments, displaying resilience against harsh conditions and poor soils. The foliage often shimmering with dew, astelia petriei adds a touch of rugged elegance to the rocky landscapes it adorns.
Astelia linearis
Astelia linearis
Astelia linearis is a striking perennial with long, narrow leaves that elegantly arch from the center, creating a tufted, grass-like appearance. The foliage is often a silver-green hue, reflecting light and enabling survival in harsh sunlight. The plant flourishes in rocky or alpine settings, where its streamlined form allows it to withstand strong winds and poor soils.
Kauri grass
Kauri grass
Kauri grass is a New Zealand native grass that you will see growing with Crown Ferns and in forests that feature rimu and nothofagus trees. This attractive upright grass spreads by tuberous rhizome roots. The plant shares a name with the Kauri Tree, another New Zealand native.
More Popular Genus
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Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Astelia
Astelia
They are rhizomatous tufted perennials native to various islands in the Pacific, Indian, and South Atlantic Oceans, as well as to Australia and to the southernmost tip of South America. Occasionally they are epiphytic.
Lifespan
Perennial
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Key Facts About Astelia
Feedback
Attributes of Astelia
Leaf type
Evergreen
Scientific Classification of Astelia
Distribution of Astelia
Feedback
Distribution Map of Astelia
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Astelia
Feedback
Astelia is known for its structural foliage and adaptability to varied environments. Basic care involves providing bright, indirect light, ensuring well-draining soil with moderate moisture, and maintaining mild to warm temperatures. Common challenges include root rot from overwatering, leaf spotting from hard water, and sensitivity to extreme cold. In terms of seasonal care, astelia may require increased humidity in summer and protection from frost in winter, with careful watering adjustments throughout the year to prevent soil dryness or waterlogging.
Exploring the Astelia Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Bush flax
Bush flax (Astelia fragrans) is grown ornamentally for its delightful bunched appearance and long, sword-shaped evergreen leaves. The female plant produces orange berries that attract birds to the garden, who then spread the seeds, helping the plant to propagate. The Latin name fragrans means fragrant and refers to the plant's aromatic spring flowers.
Bush flax
Bush flax has many traditional uses, including hat-making and wrapping eels before cooking. In landscaping, this plant is a great inclusion in low garden beds since it only grows to around 50 cm tall.
Tank lily
Tank lily is notable for successfully adapting to living high up in trees, where it often grows in large colonies. Its long, V-shaped leaves funnel water into a reservoir where the plant saves it for dry spells. One mosquito species in New Zealand exclusively uses this plant for breeding. It also provides food for a rare bat species and many birds.
Kaiwharawhara
Kaiwharawhara is a striking perennial with flax-like foliage. Arching, sword-shaped, silvery-green leaves form dense tussocks, creating a robust, textural presence in its native forest understory. This New Zealand native endures shady conditions, often thriving on forest margins or riverbanks, where its distinctive, resilient form contributes to the ecology by stabilizing the soil.
Show More Species
All Species of Astelia
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
