Plant Description

Golden-Finger Grass is an evergreen perennial herb that forms dense clumps up to 0.5m tall by 1m wide, consisting of leafy fans, close together on short, much branched rhizomes, joined by short stolons.

Leaves
Leaves 150–1160 × 3–12 mm, the two surfaces similar; inclined to turn yellow where exposed to full sun; leaf bases pale red-green; nerves many, median ones crowded to form pale midrib; margins often finely scabrid, leaf in transverse section convex lens-shaped, two rows of vascular bundles present, marginal vascular bundle present, sclerenchyma present on inside of leaf Sheath.

Peduncles long (2/3 length of the inflorescence), but inflorescence short, usually not carrying flowers or fruits above leaves.

Panicle narrow, but much branched, or sometimes simply branched; lower bracts long (50–410 mm), green, lanceolate, upper bracts narrow and pale brown, occurring singly; 1–6 flowers (often 2) per branch.

Pedicels stout, 10–28 mm long, glabrous. Flower bud sometimes yellowish, usually much smaller than ovary, flowers 8–25 mm diameter; tepals all white internally, widely patent; outer tepals about ½ length of inner tepals and narrower, elliptical, flattened, with apiculus; inner tepals orbicular-elliptical, shortly unguiculate, not usually covering outer tepals, slight cleft at tips.

Staminal filaments very shortly connate; anthers c.2 mm long, yellow.

Ovary pale, larger than perianth bud; style branches sometimes slightly winged, usually pointing outwards.

Capsule 7–25 mm long, 5–14 mm diameter, barrel-shaped, ripening from green to yellow to black, partially dehiscing by short loculicidal splitting; old valves pale and not widely patent.

Seeds
Seeds 1.0–2.0 × 1.0–1.5 mm, rounded or occasionally angular, reticulate-foveolate, bright Tangerine Orange.

Flowers
Pure white iris-like 3-petalled flowers bloom above the grass like yellow tinged green foliage from September to December. Attractive Orange seed pods follow the flowers and last through to winter.

Flowering in september – december.

Flower colours are white and yellow.

Fruiting in january – december.

Habitat
Golden-Finger Grass is tolerant of all soil types except very wet areas and prefers full sun to partial shade. They tolerate coastal conditions too.

Preparation for planting
Always choose healthy well grown plants and plant after autumn rains planting then when the soil is moist and warm allows the plants to become established before winter.

This enables them to withstand dry periods during the following summer.

Planting success is often improved on clay soils by adding extra topsoil and forming raised beds.

Incorporate coarse sand, bark, compost or other organic Material to improve soil structure.

Before planting ensure that the root-ball is saturated and remove planter bag pot or wrapping with the minimum of root disturbance.

Trim any broken roots and plant at the same level as in the container.

Dig a hole twice the diameter of the root ball and firm in and water once planted.

Make sure plants are watered well until established if planting in a drier period.

Plant with some general slow release fertiliser and then every spring apply an organic based fertiliser such as blood and Bone at a handful per square metre as new growth begins.

Shady areas often have dry soil due to overhanging canopies or structures and because of root competition from trees.

It may be necessary to irrigate new plantings and occasionally mature plantings during droughts.

When adding organic matter to soils beneath mature trees, it is best to apply it as a layer above the soil rather than working it in and disturbing the tree roots.

This also makes planting far easier and helps to retain moisture in the soil.

Planting too closely leads to spindly growth, poor flowering and eventual decline.

In a well-planned border, the plants in flower should just touch each other to create a full effect without overcrowding.

Plant approximately 50cm apart.

Maintenance tips
Apply mulch annually to suppress weeds and conserve moisture.

Organic Materials such as sawdust and bark contribute to soil structure as they decompose.

Keep mulching Material away from plant stems.

The First summer and autumn after planting is critical for young plants; water thoroughly during dry periods.

Except on very fertile soils, an annual light dressing (50g/m2) of general purpose fertiliser in spring is beneficial.

Sprinkle evenly and work into the top 2 to 3cm of the soil taking care not to damage surface roots.

Prune off any old flowers after flowering to promote new growth.

Its easy to propagate just use a garden fork to lift the plants you want to move or divide and carefully Green Tease off the growth you need replant the new plants immediately and water in.

Types & Varieties

Cultivars of Golden-Finger Grass

Golden-finger

Highlander

Taupo blaze

Taupo sunset

Golden-finger – A cultivar that tolerates sun and dry better than the usual libertia ixioides. Needs to have sun to keep colour.

Highlander – Attractive year round display of gold seed pods. Green leaves with gold ribs.

Taupo blaze – A cultivar that changes leaf colour in autumn/winter from green through to Orange/yellow and deep red.

Taupo sunset – A cultivar with narrow flax-like leaves, green with red stripe on edges.