Family Index

Scientific Name

Gahnia grandis

Family Name

CYPERACEAE

Common Name

Cutting Grass

Status

Height

3.5m (350cm)

Flowers

Heads bright brown when young, blackish in fruit.

Fruit

Nuts

Form

Very large tussocky plant.

Municipalities

Break O'Day; Burnie; Central Coast; Central Highlands; Circular Head; Derwent Valley; Devonport; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Hobart; Huon Valley; Kentish; King Island; Kingborough; Latrobe; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Sorell; Southern Midlands; Tasman; Waratah-Wynyard; West Coast; West Tamar

Communities

Riparian

Habitat Notes

Common in wet or poorly drained situations, sea level to mountains. Margins of forest and marsh, road cuttings and ditches, buttongrass heaths, all regions except Midlands and North East.

Site Tolerance

Exposed; Moist; Waterlogged; Windy

Frost Tolerance

Hardy

Soil Tolerance

Poorly-drained; Well-drained

General Notes

Resistant to Phytophthora cinnamomi. Used in traditional Palawa basket weaving. Relies on birds, including the Currawong, to germinate its seed. Suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Fruit bright red, hanging from the heads by long black filaments. cut seedheads at base with secateurs. place on groundsheet and allow to dry thoroughly to extract seed. thrashing may also be necessary

Seed Treatment Method

Standard

Seed Storage Life

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

Seed has a dormancy and will not germinate for 12 months after seed maturity. Dry storage is recommended.

Germination Time

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

Expected Time to Plant Out

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes

Division and transplants have limited success with most species.