Māori onion

Botanical name: Bulbinella modesta
Synonyms: None
Common name(s): Māori onion

About:
A slender summer-green perennial herb with narrow grass-like leaves and delicate yellow star-shaped flowers arranged along open flower spikes. A naturally uncommon wetland species of the West Coast lowlands.

Natural habitat:
Lowland pakihi, damp bogs, seepages, wet hollows, swamp margins and associated wetland forest.

Growing environment:
Wetland tolerant, Moist soil tolerant, Frost tolerant & Cool climate tolerant.
Prefers open sunny sites with damp acidic soils and little competition from taller vegetation.

Endemic distribution:
Endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, confined to scattered sites on the West Coast from south of Westport to Ōkārito.

Height:
Up to 30 cm tall

Width:
Forms small spreading clumps

Flowering:
December – January

Fruiting:
December – March

Uses:

• Wetland restoration planting
• Pakihi and bog garden plantings
• Native wetland collections
• Damp meadow gardens
• Ecological restoration projects

Appearance:

Growth habit:
Slender perennial herb forming loose clumps from swollen underground roots.

Leaves:
Bright green, narrow linear-lanceolate leaves less than 10 mm wide, soft and somewhat flaccid, tapering gradually to a pointed tip.

Flowers:
Open racemes of yellow star-shaped flowers borne on slender often twisted flowering stems. Flowers widely spaced with long spreading pedicels.

Fruit:
Rounded capsules containing smooth brown wingless seeds.

Ecology:
A specialised wetland species adapted to low fertility pakihi and swamp habitats. Seeds are dispersed by wind and plants establish best in open moist ground with little competition.

Associated habitats:
Often associated with pakihi vegetation, rushlands, sedgelands, swamp forest margins, Austroderia richardii and Phormium tenax communities.

How to grow:
Best grown in damp permanently moist soils in full sun. Suitable for bog gardens and wetland plantings where taller plants will not outcompete it.

Propagation:
Easily propagated from fresh seed or by division of established clumps.

Cultural use:
Part of the native wetland flora traditionally referred to as Māori onion due to the bulb-like underground structures shared by species within the genus.

Garden value:
A delicate and unusual wetland perennial valued for its fine foliage and airy yellow flower spikes. Ideal for naturalistic bog gardens and specialist native wetland collections.