Does a plant with these properties exists?
 

I'm looking for a plant with narrow, thin, flat, flexible stalks or leaves
suitable for braiding. Ideally, said plant would also have a sticky sap that
could act as a glue to bind several braids together.

I'm envisioning each braid being about 1/8" to 1/4" in width and as thin as
possible -- under 1/8", hopefully.

Does such a thing exist? Californian plants would be most useful. :)


--
AA

PS - If this isn't the proper newsgroup to ask this on, I apologize and would
appreciate suggestions as to where to post instead. Thanks!

Does a plant with these properties exists?
 

Yes, Native American, Polynesians and other groups used the leaves of a
number of woody and shrubby monocotyledons as a source of fiber for basket
weaving.


Arthaey Angosii wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a plant with narrow, thin, flat, flexible stalks or leaves
suitable for braiding. Ideally, said plant would also have a sticky sap
that
could act as a glue to bind several braids together.

I'm envisioning each braid being about 1/8" to 1/4" in width and as thin
as
possible -- under 1/8", hopefully.

Does such a thing exist? Californian plants would be most useful. :)


--
AA

PS - If this isn't the proper newsgroup to ask this on, I apologize and
would
appreciate suggestions as to where to post instead. Thanks!

Does a plant with these properties exists?
 

On 16 Apr 2003, Cereoid-XXXX wrote:
Yes, Native American, Polynesians and other groups used the leaves of a
number of woody and shrubby monocotyledons as a source of fiber for basket
weaving.

Funny how it's the obvious answer that you don't think about. :) From a
quick Google search, it looks like I have quite a variety of plant species to
investigate. Do you know if any of the basket-weaving plants have sticky sap
that could act like a glue?

--
AA

Does a plant with these properties exists?
 

In New Zealand the common plant with these properties and glue like sap is
the Flax plant, there are many varities so a google search would be the way
to go
"Arthaey Angosii" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a plant with narrow, thin, flat, flexible stalks or leaves
suitable for braiding. Ideally, said plant would also have a sticky sap
that
could act as a glue to bind several braids together.

I'm envisioning each braid being about 1/8" to 1/4" in width and as thin
as
possible -- under 1/8", hopefully.

Does such a thing exist? Californian plants would be most useful. :)


--
AA

PS - If this isn't the proper newsgroup to ask this on, I apologize and
would
appreciate suggestions as to where to post instead. Thanks!

Does a plant with these properties exists?
 

From: Arthaey Angosii

I'm looking for a plant with narrow, thin, flat, flexible stalks or leaves
suitable for braiding. Ideally, said plant would also have a sticky sap that

could act as a glue to bind several braids together.

I'm envisioning each braid being about 1/8" to 1/4" in width and as thin as
possible -- under 1/8", hopefully.

Does such a thing exist? Californian plants would be most useful. :)

You may be looking for various species of Nolina (Beargrass), but they don't
particularly have sticky sap. They are generally woven without splitting the
leaves, perhaps you may get them sticky if you do?

N. parryi is your native in CA, but N. microcarpa has narrower leaves and grows
in Arizona (AZ won't let you collect though, as far as I know) and New Mexico.
Mexican crews collect it in the Peloncillo mountains for weaving.

Sean



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