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Astelia alpina
Astelia alpina called pineapple grass, silver astelia, or perching lily is a commonly found species in alpine and subalpine areas of Tasmania and the Australian Alps. It is a perennial herb that typically dominates its environment by growing in dense clusters, called mats, in alpine bogs. There are two subspecies: Astelia alpina var. novae hollandiae from New South Wales and Victoria and Astelia alpina var. alpina endemic to Tasmania. Both subspecies appear very similar to each other. The species was originally described by Robert Brown.
Pineapple grass is not widely cultivated, but the berries are edible. It prefers high altitude conditions with wet soil and plenty of light. If it is being grown at low altitudes, it is more suited to colder climates. Seed collection from native plants is possible. The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that "The fruit is sweet, and the bases of the leaves are eaten".
Pineapple grass is commonly found in the subalpine and alpine areas of Tasmania and the Australian Alps. In these habitats, plants must be tough to survive the harsh wind exposure, hot sun in summer, and freezing in winter. The Tasmanian species typically dominates alpine sedgeland and is found on all mountains in Tasmania. It prefers moist soils, and often occurs together with the coral fern (Gleichenia alpina), and other alpine plants including Empodisma minus, Carpha alpina, and Restio australis.
Silverhair pineapplegrass · Coastal Astelia · Chatham Island Kakaha · Bush Flax · Astelia graminea · Tank Lily · Pua'akuhinia · Astelia neocaledonica · Bush Flax · Astelia nivicola · Astelia pumila · Kauri Grass
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Astelia alpina by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
