Grass Tree

Xanthorrhoea
Native to Australia but adaptable to other warm climates, this is among the most unique plant genuses on the globa.

Xanthorrhoea arborea ( Forest Grass Tree )
A slow growing, Grass-like small tree native to eastern Australia.
Some records include: largest on record - 12 feet with a trunk diameter of 1 foot.
The narrow, linear, Grass-like leaves are up to 48 inches in length.
The foliage is bright green later turning to deep green.
The flowers, up to , are borne in clusters up to 3 feet in length and borne on 6 foot long stems during spring.
Hardy zones 8 to 11

Xanthorrhoea australia ( Southern Grass Tree )
Some records include: largest on record - 10 x 8 feet including the trunk reaching up to 6.6 feet; longest lived - 200 years
The narrow linear Grass-like leaves are up to 3 feet in length.
The foliage is
The very fragrant, white flowers are borne in spears up to 16 feet in length, during spring, after the plant is 15 years of age.
Hardy zones 9 to 11 in full sun.

Xanthorrhoea glauca ( Narrow-leafed Grass Tree )
Native to southwest Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. Some records include: largest on record - 20 x 14 feet with a trunk diameter of 1.2 feet.
The long narrow, Grass-like leaves are, up to 0.3 inches across.
The foliage is blue-green.
The flowers are borne in spikes, up to 7 feet in length, on top of a 3 foot stalk.
The branched trunks are blackish.
Hardy zones 8 to 11 in full sun. It is the hardiest of all species of Xanthorrhoea and even grows in parts of England.

subsp 'angustifolia'
From the southernmost part of X. glauca's natural range and has narrower leaves, up to 0.2 inches across. It is the hardiest of all

Xanthorrhoea johnsonii ( Queensland Grass Tree )
Native to Queensland, Australia.
Some records include: largest on record - 16 x 12 feet with a trunk diameter of 1 foot; longest lives - 600 years.
The long narrow, Grass-like leaves are up to 5 feet in length.
The foliage is bright green.
The creamy-white flowers are borne very profusely on gigantic cylindrical spikes.
Hardy zones 9 to 10 tolerating as low as 15 F, in full sun.

Xanthorrhoea media
Some records include: largest on record - 8 feet
Hardy zones 9a to 11

Xanthorrhoea preissii ( Western Australian Grass Tree )
A most exotic looking ornamental plant that is native to Western Australia.
Some records include: largest on record - 18 x 18 feet with a trunk diameter of 1 foot.
The long narrow, arching Grass-like leaves are up to 4 feet in length.
The foliage is luxuriant medium green.
The creamy-yellow flowers are borne on spikes up to 6 feet in length.
They are followed by leathery, brown capsules.
Hardy zones 9 to 11 hardy to as low as 15 F

* historic archive photo

Xanthorrhoea quadrangulata
Native to southern Australia.
Some records include: largest on record - 12 x 8 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 feet.
The very narrow leaves, up to 3 feet in length, are deep green.
The creamy-white flowers are borne on narrow spikes up to 4 feet in length during autumn.
Hardy zones 9a to 11 in full sun. Drought tolerant.

Xanthorrhoea semiplana
Some records include: largest on record - 8 feet
The long narrow, Grass-like leaves are up to 3 feet
Hardy zones 9a to 11