Have you ever wondered what fibres in your garden are suitable for weaving?
Below is a short list of plants with fibre suitable for weaving applications:
Palms: Inflorescence, bracts and leaf sheaths of Piccabeen, Alexandra and other palm varieties.
Raffia, Raphia farinifera
Fibrous inner matter of the palm fronds.
Banana leaf sheaths, Musa acuminata, Musa balbisiana
Coconut husk and leaf, Cocos nucifera
Yukka leaf fibres, Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae
Ponytail Palm leaves, Beaucarnea recurvata (Mexico)
Cabbage tree leaves, Cordyline Australis, (NZ)
It provided durable fibre for textiles, anchor ropes, fishing lines, baskets, waterproof rain capes and cloaks, and sandals.
Daylily leaves, Hemerocallis, (North America, South America, Caribbean)
New Zealand Flax leaf fibre, Phormium tenax and Phormium cookianum, (NZ)
Couch grass, Elymus repens
Philodendron leaf sheaths, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, (South America)
Red Hot Poker leaves, Kniphofia uvaria, (Cape Province, South Africa)
Norfolk pine needles, Araucaria heterophylla, (Norfolk Island, Pacific)
English Lavender stems, Lamiaceae, (Asia)
Sweet Corn sheaths, Family: Poaceae Subfamily: Panicoideae
Jackaranda leaf stems, Bignoniaceae, (South America, Central America, Mexico)
Dodder, Cuscuta
Vines from vegetable plants – climbing beans, chokos, cucumbers, melons, peas, pumpkins, etc
Weed vines:
“Archie”, Archer Axilaris
Morning Glory, Convolvulaceae
Dutchman’s pipe, Aristolochiaceae
Cat’s claw creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati
NATIVES
Piccabeen palm, Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
Screw pine leaves, Pandanus Tectorius
Mat rush leaves, Lomandra longifolia
Flax Lily leaves, Dianella Longifolia
Swamp paperbark, Melaleuca Ericifolia
Eucalyptus stems
Kangaroo paw, Anigozanthos
Bulrush or cumbungi, Typha species
River club-rush – Schoenoplestus Validus
Tall spike-rush – Eleocharis sphacelata
Pale rush – Juncus Pallidus
Hairy milk vine, Marsdenia Flavescens
Lawyer cane, Calamus Australis
