Bulbinella hookeri

Bulbinella hookeri is a deciduous perennial from New Zealand. It belongs to the Asphodelaceae family and grows in temperate conditions. Common names include golden wand and Maori onion. Its wild habitats include damp ground and north-facing slopes. Records place it in pastures from lowland to subalpine sites. Plants For A Future lists sites on both main islands, south to latitude 42° south.

The plant forms rosettes of fleshy, lanceolate leaves. New leaves start to grow in early spring. The foliage reaches about 1 foot (0.3 m) tall. Upright flower stems rise above it to about 2 feet (0.6 m). The RHS gives a broader mature height of 1.6–3.3 feet (0.5–1 m). Its listed spread is 0.3–1.6 feet (0.1–0.5 m). Plants take two to five years to reach full size. Dense racemes carry bright yellow flowers with a star-like shape. These provide colour through the summer, above the lower leaves.

Choose a sheltered spot in sun or partial shade. The soil should stay moist but let excess water drain away. Acid or neutral loam and sandy soil suit it. The RHS advises a winter mulch of leaf mould. It gives the plant a UK hardiness rating of H3. This suits coastal areas and other mild parts of Britain. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 7–10. These ratings use different systems and should not be treated as exact matches. An alpine house offers another growing option. For pots, the RHS suggests equal amounts of loam, leaf mould and sharp sand.

Golden wand suits flower beds, borders and rock gardens. The RHS also lists coastal, courtyard and cottage gardens as uses. Its upright stems place the summer flowers above the leaf rosettes. It needs no pruning, and the RHS reports few disease problems. Under glass, whitefly, aphids and red spider mites may cause trouble. Sow ripe seed in a cold frame without delay. Another way to raise plants is to divide them in autumn.

Plants For A Future records the fleshy root as edible. It gives edibility a low score of one out of five. It supplies no further details on preparation or food use. The same source lists no known hazards or medicinal uses. That lack of hazard reports does not establish safety for people or pets. It also lists no other uses and does not flag weed potential.