What is a grass tree?
A grass tree is a slow-growing Australian plant with a thick, often blackened trunk topped by a skirt of long, thin leaves and, at times, a tall spear-like flower spike. Most belong to the genus Xanthorrhoea.
Grass trees grow very slowly, often only a centimetre or two a year in height, so tall specimens can be hundreds of years old. Their trunks are made of tightly packed old leaf bases held together by resin.
They flower with a tall spike that can reach several metres high, covered in small cream flowers rich in nectar. Flowering is often triggered by bushfire, and burnt grass trees can produce a spectacular display soon after.
Traditional uses
Aboriginal people used grass tree resin as a strong glue for attaching stone heads to spears and axes. The flower spikes were used as spear shafts, and the nectar was soaked in water to make a sweet drink.
There are around 30 species found across Australia, especially in the southwest and southeast. Some are known as balga in Western Australia.
Grass trees are protected in many states, and removing them from the bush requires a permit. They are popular in gardens but are susceptible to dieback disease caused by Phytophthora, a soil-borne pathogen.
Did You Know?
Despite the name, grass trees are not grasses or true trees.