Growing Flax Lily: Tips at a Glance
Tropical flowering perennial Dianella looks like a grass, acts like a grass, and solves problems like a grass, with a bonus: it produces pretty star-shaped leaves and colorful berries. Use it as an edging plant in shady spots for best results.
- Type Tropical flower
- Lifespan Perennial
- USDA Zones 7 to 11
- Light Shade preferable
- Water Drought tolerant
- Soil Well-drained
- Design Tip Grassy clumps
- Companions Hosta, hibiscus
- Peak Season Evergreen
Flax Lily: A Field Guide
Among the many benefits of grass look-a-like flax lily that it produces both starry flowers (usually blue or white) and shiny berries (usually purple) in succession. A hardy perennial that hails from Asia and Australia, Dianella has nearly dozen species to choose among. Which is right for your garden?
Among our favorites to consider are Dianella tasmanica, a handsome deer-resistant edging plant that is especially attractive when variegated. Plant it in deep shade beneath a tree where its striped bladed foliage will catch stray shafts of sunlight. Dianella intermedia is bigger, growing to a height and diameter of 36 inches, and tolerates salt spray and windy coastal conditions.
Dianella spreads by underground rhizomes, and is particularly encouraged to proliferate in full sun. Plant it in part shade or deep shade (or in a container) to control its growth. Depending on the variety, Dianella will thrive in USDA growing zones 7 to 11. Where it’s happy, it solves problems. Flax lily can stand up to exhaust from passing traffic, trampling, and a lack of water (once established).
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