Ate
| Cultivar No |  |
21 |
|---|---|---|
| Source | |
Pipiriki, Wanganui River. |
| Description | |
One of the favourites in the Wanganui River district. A fine looking bush with tall, straight, wide, dark blue-green blades with a definite blue bloom on the underside of the leaves. Margin and keel very dark reddish brown. No kōrari. |
| Uses | |
Does not strip well, but good for strong kete. The Flax Commissioner in Wanganui (1871) recorded its use for eel nets and baskets. Dries to a clear creamy white when boiled for one minute, more brown when unboiled. May be used for piupiu, although the para is inclined to adhere, but it dries hard and strong. Rene's friend from this area sent a telegram to tell her she had sent the plant – "Ate flax sent today." The Post Office assuming a spelling error changed it to "Eight flax sent today"! |
| Muka extraction |  |
Muka extracts well and para removes well from most whenu. |
| Raranga - unboiled | |
When softening whenu, it's hard to tell upper and back side of leaf apart as it has very little bloom. Butt end is fat, tip is thin. Whenu soften easily. Lovely for raranga. |
Information sources:
| Rene Orchiston |
Katarina Tawiri |
 Rob Smissen |
 Sue Scheele |