Lomandra

Lomandra 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 it grows like an ornamental grass, it is a lily-like plant not a true grass. It produces flowering stems including white, cream or yellow depending on variety.

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:

• Lomandra ‘Tanika’ has fine foliage and forms a clump to around 60cm high and wide. It produces yellow flowers from autumn to spring.
• Lomandra longifolia also known as spiny-headed mat-rush is a fast-growing, tough plant. It has glossy, strappy green leaves with clusters of small perfumed cream to yellow flower spikes
• Lomandra ‘Little con’ is great for borders, as an edging plants or is striking in a pot. It’s has bright green foliage with spring yellow flowers
• Lomandra ‘Seascape’ has blue-grey foliage that ripples in the breeze and small yellow blooms that are highly fragrant

Growing conditions

Aspect Sunny to partly shaded.

Soil Suit a wide range of soils but best with good drainage. The roots may rot in poorly drained soils, but some species naturally grow along creek banks. Lomandra ‘Evergreen Baby’ may tolerate poorly drained sites. Coarse, chunky mulches are recommended.

Climate Lomandra grow across a wide range of climates, and are usually tolerant of most growing conditions. They are frost and drought tolerant.

General care

Watering Regular water 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. Lomandra 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. Take care when handling lomandra as the leaf edges can be sharp. 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.