Native Grasses & Groundcovers

Blue flax-lily — Dianella caerulea

Dianella caerulea

Food for native birds Host plant for butterflies and insects Pollinator favourite Showy flowers Resilient garden plant

$6.00

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Plant profile

At a glance

The essentials for finding the right garden position.

Mature size: Variable with natural form: commonly 0.4–1 m high; some forms reach about 1.8 m and spreading forms make mats to 2 m across.
Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water: Moist, Seasonally wet
Soil: Sandy, Loamy, Clay, Rocky
Drainage: Free-draining, Poorly drained
Vegetation type: Wallum / Sandy Heath, Wetlands / Swamps / Creek Margins, Dry Eucalypt, Wet Eucalypt
Plant lifespan: Perennial
Plant form: Grasses & Groundcovers

Plant ratings

A quick guide to this plant’s value for wildlife and the garden.

Bird food value
Host plant value
Pollinator value
Shelter & habitat value
Flower display
Garden resilience

About this plant

Blue flax-lily is a distinctive clumping native that adds bold foliage and a lush understorey character. Blue-violet flowers are followed by glossy blue-purple berries above strappy foliage. It works well as a feature clump or as part of a layered understorey where its foliage can provide contrast and shelter.

Image credits:
Mature image: Ethel Aardvark via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0
Feature image: Ethel Aardvark via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 3.0

More plant details

Garden uses: Feature clump, shaded or moist border, habitat garden and naturalistic understorey; especially suited to sites reflecting Wallum / Sandy Heath, Wetlands / Swamps / Creek Margins, Dry Eucalypt, Wet Eucalypt.
Wildlife value: Dianella caerulea provides a useful seasonal flower resource for native bees and other insects. Dianella caerulea provides valuable seasonal nectar, fruit or other food for local birds. Dianella caerulea adds low or climbing cover and helps connect habitat at ground or understorey level.
Flowering and fruiting: Blue-violet flowers are followed by glossy blue-purple berries above strappy foliage.
Growth habit: Tufted or spreading perennial herb with strap-like leaves; size and spread vary substantially between natural forms.
Cautions: Blue berries are ornamental and potentially toxic if eaten; do not use them as bush food. Cultivated forms vary, so use verified local provenance for ecological restoration.