Aciphylla scott-thomsonii

Botanical name: Aciphylla scott-thomsonii

Common name(s): Giant Spaniard, Giant Speargrass, Taramea

Plant facts:

One of New Zealand’s largest and most impressive speargrasses, forming enormous glaucous tussocks with towering flower spikes. This dramatic alpine species produces rigid blue-grey foliage armed with sharp points and can reach over 3 metres tall when flowering.

Natural habitat:

Subalpine and alpine grasslands, herbfields, and open mountain slopes.

Growing environment:

Frost, Sun, Wind & Free draining tolerant.

Endemic distribution:

Endemic to the South Island of New Zealand.

Height:

Foliage up to 1.5 m tall, flowering stems reaching 3–4 m tall

Flowering:

Summer with yellow coloured flowers

Fruiting:

Late summer to autumn

Uses:

• Large-scale alpine landscapes
• Dramatic architectural feature plant
• Tussock and mountain restoration planting
• Specialist native collections
• Wildlife habitat plant

Appearance:

Growth habit:
Forms huge dense tussocks with multiple rosettes, creating striking sculptural clumps in alpine environments.

Leaves:
Leaves are long, rigid, and blue-grey with sharply pointed tips. Lower leaves are heavily divided while upper leaves are more simply divided. Margins are finely serrated and extremely sharp.

Flower stems:
Produces massive deeply grooved flowering stems carrying large branched umbels of yellow flowers high above the foliage. Male flower heads are generally larger and more open than female heads.

Fruit:
Develops winged dry fruits adapted for dispersal by alpine winds.

How to grow:

Requires full sun and excellent drainage. Best suited to cool alpine or dry mountain-style gardens with room to develop its large mature size. Extremely hardy to frost, snow, and exposed conditions once established. Avoid planting near paths due to the sharp foliage.