Tree Grasses

The celmisia-growing octogenarian I quoted in an earlier message also
grows a group of plants I'd never come across before - viz, species of
the genus Dracophyllum, which he says are from NZ, where they're known
as Tree Grasses. Sorry, Moira, I feel that I'm plaguing you at the
moment with my idiot enquiries, but do you know these plants? Are they
really from NZ? They certainly are striking creatures. My friend grows
the dwarf D. pronum and the much larger D. mulliganii and D.
menziesii. 

(He's a Scot, and pointed out firmly that I should pronounce that
second specific name as Ming-is. Given his own very Scots
pronunciation, I thought at first he'd said Ming-us and had a moment
of doubt and bewilderment, wondering why a New Zealand Tree Grass had
been named after a sadly no longer with us American jazz bassist. I
digress...) 

Both of the bigger species had trunks between three and four feet
high, topped by striking 'rosettes' ('necklaces' might be better) of
big, stiff, spiky leaves. Groups of them, grown on a steep slope, and
looked at from below, created a distinctly strange impression.
'Aaargh, the Ming-is-ians have landed....'! 

So far as I can discover, no Dracophyllum is commercially available in
the U.K. Are they grown in California? 

Any more info - about natural habitats, hardiness, other species -
gratefully appreciated. Ah, and if anyone happens to know a source of
seed... Which reminds me to add a final question: when and how do they
flower? By 'how' I mean, what's the effect like? *Whatever* erupts
from that odd mid-air necklace must look weirder and weirder...

Tim 
Tim Longville
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