Silver Spear. Dramatic silver green monocot spikey plant that we adore for container culture. To 3′ tall and dense the rosettes produce long silvery spiky leaves at a moderate pace. Full sun to light shade in rich, well drained soil. Not completely hardy in Portland, it freezes out at about 18ºF- and containers should be protected over the winter- move into an unheated place. Rich, soil, regular irrigation which speeds growth. In the ground you must choose the most protected urban site possible. Then mulch and cover with an opaque sheeting when temperatures threaten to dip below 20ºF. In town that is about once every four years. It can freeze back quite a way but recovery is dubious and slow at best. Excellent performance at the Oregon Coast where it is a permanent landscape plant.
Astelia chathamica
Family: Asteliaceae Genus: Astelia
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Biomes/Growing conditions: Indoor, Oregon Coast
Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
USDA Hardiness zone: Zn8b 20º to 15ºF
Foliage color: Silver/Gray
Foliage season: Evergreen