Doryanthes Palmeri

One of the highlights in our garden this Spring is the first flowering of Doryanthes palmeri, the giant spear lily, northern cousin of our Gymea Lily. It is a slightly larger plant than the gymea with leaves up to 3 m long and a flowering scape that is up to 5m long. The flower head is so heavy it causes the spike to bend – making it more accessible for photography!  It is endemic to the Border Ranges in S-E QLD and northern NSW. The seed for this particular plant was collected near Cunninghams Gap between Warwick and Brisbane some 15 to 17 yrs ago by the father of our daughter-in-law. I would suggest that if you are planning to grow this plant to maturity you should do it sooner rather than later and in a large garden. It is tolerant of sun and in this case, shade, and is suited to most soil types. Both Doryanthes species are xerophytes, meaning they have adapted to dry conditions. It is listed as vulnerable due to the fact that it occurs in so few regions of Australia. Plants can be propagated by division or seed. The name Doryanthes is derived from two Greek words: ‘dorados’ meaning ‘spear’ and ‘Anthos’ meaning ‘flower’. “Palmeri” is honouring Sir Arthur Hunter Palmer, Premier of QLD 1870-1874.