Costly plants stolen from shire

At least two people reported the theft of xanthorrhoea plants, commonly known as grass trees.

Sylvania resident Kerry Townley was preparing for bed on January 21 when she her dog bark loudly.

She looked outside and noticed a man closing the boot of his car and driving away with his headlights off.

She didn't think anything of it until she found her xanthorrhoea plant was missing from her front yard the next morning.

"I'm extremely angry that someone can just come into your front yard and take something that's not theirs," she said. "It's something that I love and something I've wanted for a long time."

The theft follows a similar case; a mature xanthorrhoea was stolen from the frontyard of a Burraneer house.

The owner, who did not want to be named, said the thieves did a good job making the removal as neat as possible.

"This plant was targeted for either a personal want or to be sold for monetary gain," she told the Leader.

"This was an extremely expensive plant and the thought that this could take place without being noticed is of concern."

Taren Point Flower Power manager Joel Bayot said a xanthorrhoea could fetch thousands of dollars, with a one-metre plant selling for about $700.

"They are a protected tree and they don't transplant well," he said.

"We have some regular landscapers who have been asked to put chains around the plants so they're not stolen."

BIG EXPENSE

The Gardening Australia website says xanthorrhoea (grass tree) is a uniquely Australian plant.

It will withstand drought and bushfires. When it does flower, it produces spikes, which can grow up to two metres and which eventually turn brown with seed.

It can take 20 years for a trunk to form from a seed and it takes years for one to reach its full height. It is illegal to take a xanthorrhoea from bushland.

Nursery prices for single- headed trees vary from $90 for a 0-10 centimetre trunk up to $790 for a 200- to 220-centimetre trunk.

Have you had a grass tree stolen?