Glorious Grass Trees

SERIES 32 | Episode 16

Josh looks at WA’s ancient grass trees – both their cultural role and how one nursery is saving hundreds from being bulldozed.

Josh meets with Cultural Educator Andrew Beck, who explains the role of Grass Trees in the Noongar cultural landscape.

The Noongar name for grass trees is Balga, which means and there is a spiritual connection as a guardian of people and place, as well as playing a practical role; the stalks provide materials for lighting fire, and it exudes a resin that holds objects together.

Many grass trees are now threatened by new developments, so a local nursery has set up a scheme to rescue them. Owner Justin Leeder salvages grass trees from development sites and sells them on to new gardens and parks. The trees are held on site for 12 months to make sure they have survived being dug up and have re-established new roots.

They have between 7-7,500 at any one time. Some weight 250 kg to 1 tonne, but using cranes, they can be installed nearly anywhere. One large one measuring 3.5m high is probably 350 years old, as they grow about 1cm a year.

Maintenance

Tom Leeder says grass trees don’t need too much water - about 30-60L per week for the first two summers and then they should be OK.

They don’t need much nutrients - just a general native-compatible fertiliser every 6-12 months.

The only disease they are susceptible to is scale, and this can be treated with eco oil.

To encourage flowering, some people say the trees should be burnt, but Tom say the main aim is to reduce the thatch load of dry grass, which can be done with a hedge trimmer; follow the contours of the trunk and avoid cutting into the trunk itself where the new grass shoots will appear.

Remember: Only source grass trees from licensed suppliers.

Filmed on Noongar & Whadjuk Country | City, WA