Dianella

Dianella are native, clump-forming plants with strappy green foliage. They are widely used in landscaping as low-maintenance evergreen edging plants or to mass plant.

Although they grow like an ornamental grass, they are lily-like plants not true grasses. They produce flowering stems and ornamental blue (or sometimes white) berries follow the blue spring flowers.

There are many named varieties available, which range from compact to large. Check with your hardware or garden centre for a variety that will suit your local environment. Here are a couple:

• Dianella ‘Little Jess’ has soft light green leaves and stems of blue flowers in spring. It grows to around 40cm high and wide.
• Dianella ‘Cherry red’ is one for wet and humid areas. Around 75cm in height, it has bright red stem bases with dark green wide arching leaves.
• Dianella ‘Silver streak’ needs a moist soil to keep it looking good. It has variegated green leaves with a white margin, and looks great mass planted.
• Dianella  ‘Revelation’ has blue-green strappy-leaf foliage with small blue flowers followed by blue berries. It will grow to 50cm high and wide

Growing conditions

Aspect Sunny to partly shaded.

Soil Dianella are suited to a wide range of soils but grow best with good drainage. To ensure good healthy growth, plant them in rich fertile soil. Improve soil by adding in home-made comport and organic matter and/0r Seasol Super Compost. Coarse, chunky mulches are recommended.

Climate Dianellas are drought and frost tolerant. They grow across a wide range of climates.

General care

Watering Regular watering is important at and after planting but once established plants can be considered drought tolerant.

Feeding and mulching Feed with a fertiliser formulated for native plant such as liquid PowerFeed All Purpose including Natives or PowerFeed PRO SERIES Plant Food All Purpose including Natives. Dianella also benefit from seasonal application of a granular fertilizer during the year. Apply Powerfeed with Troforte Plant Food All Purpose including Natives during the growing season.

Pruning and dividing Plants can be cut back hard to rejuvenate or simply remove spent leaves. Well-established plants can be lifted and divided to create more plants to use in the garden. Spring is an ideal time to lift and divide.

Watch for Generally these plants are unaffected by pests. Mealybug, aphids or mites may invade in small numbers, but they can be controlled naturally with EarthCare Enviro Pest Oil insect spray.