General Description:

Calectasia is a genus comprising 15 species of perennial herbs. 14 species are found in the south-west of Western Australia with the remaining species (C. intermedia) occurring across the southern border regions of South Australia and Victoria.

C. cyanea is a tufted perennial herb 40 to 60 cm high by about 30 cm wide.  The short, narrow leaves are up to 1.5 cm long, tapering to a point.  The blue star-shaped flowers have 6 petals and are about 3 cm in diameter with 6 yellow stamens. The flowers fade as they age and are seen in winter and spring.

Blue Tinsel Lily is a very desirable garden plant or for growing in a container.  However, it is rarely, if ever, available commercially due to its highly endangered status.  If a plant can be found, it would require a moist, well drained position in a lightly shaded location.

Seed is not commercially available so the only viable means of propagation would be by division of an established plant, if one can be found in cultivation.

* EPBC Act = Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999;
ROTAP = Rare or Threatened Australian Plants (Briggs and Leigh, 1988)
For further information refer the Australian Plants at Risk page