Gymea Lily

Want to plant something that looks like flax but has a flower that has a 4-metre (20 foot) flower spike and attracts native birds? Then plant the Gymea Lily (Doryanthes excelsa)!

It needs a least a metre (3 - 4 feet) of space around it and room to grow up to a metre for the leaves. They are a feature plant that loves full sun, but will also grow in partial shade. As for most natives use only organic fertilisers (old sheep manure is great) and sparingly. The flower is not dependent on fertiliser but you will get very vigorous growth in the leaves. The plant will grow in most climates of Australia, but can be damaged by frosts (only some minor tip burning). These are native to our region, so this should not be a problem!

Now for the disappointment. They are very contrary flowerier. Some say it takes 10 years, others 4 years, but the point when they seem to flower the most is after thick heavy smoke has been in the area - such as a bushfire.

Just take a look in the Royal National Park after a fire - there are Gymea Lily spikes rocketing up everywhere. The plants burst back with a vengeance. They grow from a small (1 foot) bunch of leaves to a 1.5 metre high by 1.5 wide plant in 5 years. They can look magnificent as a foliar background, but to get them to flower use smoke water. Just a couple of weeks later you should start to see a spike emerge. Seeds are fertile but take 6 -7 years to flower. Buy your plant from the nursery, as they are a protected species.

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