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The Poor Knights lily comes from Poor Knights island off the coast on North Island, New Zealand. It is notoriously difficult to please in gardens and isn't very hardy.
It grows well on Tresco and I have seen it at Ventnor. I was given a seedling but I didn't keep it live for very long, my greenhouse is too wet and moderate for a plant that seems to prefer high temperatures and very sharp drainage. In their winter seed list for 1987, Jim and Jenny Archibald say: "Newv Zealand grown seed of this extraordinary and rare relict member of the Liliaceae, originally from Poor Knights Island off New Zealand, where it grows in volcanic scoriae near the coast. Germinates irregularly, must be grown frost-free and must have a low-nutrient, lime-free compost - try pure sand or old, weathered boiler-ash. A marvellous thing with sprays of brilliant red flowers. We try to include something for everyone in these lists and this is definitely the plant for the gardener who thinks he has the lot!" In a note in JRHS in September 1983, Stephen Benham says: "My initial introduction to this meritorious New Zealander, Xeronema callistemon occurred 13 yearts ago. During a lecture entitled 'Plant conservation in relation to horticulture' , Dr R. Melville suggested that wider cultivation would help to ensure the survival of this rarity. My second acquaintance occurred whilst visiting the Domain Park in Auckland last year where a remarkable container-grown specimen was flourishing. It bnelongs to the family Liliaceae and the typical sword-like somewhat fleshy leaves contrast strikingly with the horizontally held 'flower brushes' some 10 - 12 inches (25 - 30 cm) across and 2 inches (5cm) across. The peduncle emerges from the centre of the fan of leaves during the southern hemisphere spring (September/October) and the ensuing 'brush' glows with numerous coral-red stamens tipped with anthers of deep gold. The vernacular name indicates the plant's natural geographical location, the Poor Knights Island lying 14 miles off the east coast of North Island where the lush vbegetation is frequently subjected to salt spray. Other colonies of Xeronema callistemon occur 25 miles south on the Hen and Chickens Islands. Until 1924 Xeronema had been a monotypic genus with the only known species being X. moorei, an endemic ofNew Caledonia. Discovery of a second species on Poor Knights was made by the late W. M. Fraser and Dr W. R. B. Oliver and plant material collected on this expedition first flowered in 1932. The adage "Conservation by cultivation" was very much in evidence whilst visiting Platt's native plant nursery on thwe outskirts of Auckland where a stock of seed raised plants were containerised and ready for distribution. The rarity value of Xeronema callistemon in the wild is confirmed by its inclusion in the Red Data Books for rare and endangered species. The fascination of growing rare nand unusual plants led to the purchase of a nursery grown plant forprotected cultivation here on the west coast of Scotland [Brodick Castle]. I should be most interested to hear from any Fellow who has successfully flowered this spectacular New Zealander." |
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| 11th July 2019 | ||