Walton's Plant Library

Other Names:  White Striped Tasman Flax Lily

Description:

This variety is grown primarily for its bold, white striped leaves; small star shaped flowers of pale blue-violet appear in mid spring, followed by attractive dark blue berries; best in light shade, but will tolerate coastal full sun; water regularly

Ornamental Features

Variegated Flax Lily's attractive sword-like leaves remain bluish-green in color with prominent white stripes throughout the year on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. It features delicate spikes of lavender star-shaped flowers with sky blue overtones rising above the foliage in mid spring. It produces royal blue berries in early summer.

Landscape Attributes

Variegated Flax Lily is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Variegated Flax Lily is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Variegated Flax Lily will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant should be grown in a location with partial shade. Keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Variegated Flax Lily is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.