Māori onion

Botanical name: Bulbinella angustifolia
Synonyms: Bulbinella hookeri var. angustifolia
Common name(s): Māori onion

About:
A striking clump-forming perennial herb with narrow grass-like leaves and tall spikes of bright yellow flowers. Commonly found in moist tussock grasslands and alpine wetlands of the eastern South Island.

Natural habitat:
Damp tussock grasslands, bogs, seepages, wet hollows, stream margins and subalpine wetlands.

Growing environment:
Cold tolerant, Frost tolerant, Moist soil tolerant & Wetland tolerant.
Prefers full sun to partial shade with consistently moist but free-draining soil.

Endemic distribution:
Endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, mainly from Canterbury south through Otago and Southland east of the Southern Alps.

Height:
Up to 1 m tall in flower

Width:
30–60 cm wide

Flowering:
Spring – Early summer

Fruiting:
Summer

Uses:

• Wetland restoration planting
• Damp meadow gardens
• Alpine and tussock plantings
• Native pollinator gardens
• Stream and pond margins
• Mass planting in moist landscapes

Appearance:

Growth habit:
Perennial herb forming spreading clumps from fleshy rhizomes.

Leaves:
Long narrow channelled grass-like leaves, fresh green, smooth and tapering toward the tip.

Flowers:
Dense upright spikes of numerous bright yellow star-shaped flowers held above the foliage on sturdy stems.

Fruit:
Small capsules containing winged seeds dispersed by wind.

Ecology:
An important wetland and tussock grassland species adapted to cool moist environments. Flowers attract native insects and pollinators while dense clumps help stabilise damp soils.

Associated habitats:
Often grows with red tussock, alpine sedges, rushes and wetland herbs in open grassland and seepage communities.

How to grow:
Best grown in full sun with permanently moist soil. Suitable for bog gardens, wetlands and damp meadow plantings. Performs best where soil remains cool and moisture retentive.

Propagation:
Usually propagated from fresh seed or by division of established clumps in spring or autumn.

Cultural use:
The common name “Māori onion” refers to the onion-like appearance of the fleshy underground structures, though the species is primarily valued as part of New Zealand’s native wetland flora.

Garden value:
A highly ornamental native herb valued for its bold vertical flower spikes and tidy grassy foliage. Excellent for wetland gardens and naturalistic plantings where strong seasonal colour is desired.