'POKULBI' PAROO LILY / BLUE FLAX (Dianella caerulea) Seeds

A plant which keeps growing from year to year. It forms mats. It grows to 0.75 m high and spreads to 0.4 m across.
A hardy perennial native herb, cultivated as a garden ornamental for its attractive foliage and striking blue/purple berries.

Flower can range in colour from pale blue through to deep blue/purple. The flowers are star shaped. The fruit are shiny blue berries. They are 7-12 mm long.

Habitats Sandy soils near creeks on heaths and in sparse woodlands
Succeeds in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones.
Requires a well-drained neutral to acid soil, Very hardy and long-lived once established.

Bush food: Fruit – raw or cooked. The fruit is up to 1.5cm in diameter. They have a sweet flavour, which becomes nutty once the seeds are chewed. 
Roots – The length of rhizomes are pounded and roasted.

Bush medicine: The fruit was used to treat those suffering from sea ulcers. The juice of the dianella was placed on the sea ulcer as an antiseptic.

Sea ulcers are formed due to small bacteria found in salty water. They affect the area of the skin that has been broken due to an abrasion, laceration or puncture.

Other Uses: Basketry; Fibre.  A very strong silky fibre is obtained from the leaves. The leaves are also used in making baskets.


Germination: Seed - pre-soak for 24 hours in luke-warm water and then sow in spring in gentle heat in a greenhouse. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 25°c When large enough, plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer.