Little Rev Flax Lily

Little Rev Flax Lily (Dianella revoluta 'Little Rev') is a compact Australian native strappy plant that holds a narrow upright clump about 50cm high and 40cm wide. It does not run, which is the reason landscapers reach for it: mass plantings stay as neat individual tufts for years instead of merging into a mess. Slim blue green leaves carry small blue flowers in spring, followed by purple berries.

Why you'll love it

• It stays where you put it. This is a clumping form with no runners, so the spacing you plant is the spacing you keep.
• Upright, not floppy. The narrow leaves hold vertical rather than splaying across a path, which keeps a border reading as a crisp line.
• Tough across almost every climate. Frost, heat, drought, salt wind and poor soil are all within its range, from arid inland gardens to coastal blocks.
• Low maintenance by design. No pruning, no deadheading, no feeding beyond an annual application. A tidy up every few years is the whole job.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 40cm apart across a bed for an even textural sweep. At that spacing the clumps almost touch at maturity without crowding, and weeds have little room.

Borders and edging. A single row at 40cm gives a defined edge to a path or driveway that does not need trimming to stay in line.

Slopes, walls and pots. The fibrous roots bind soil on a batter or above a retaining wall, and a single clump also sits well in a narrow pot on a balcony.

Growing Little Rev in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It performs across subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, mediterranean and arid gardens, which is an unusually wide range, and it is frost hardy once established.

Soil. Any soil that drains, including sand, gravel and poor compacted ground. It tolerates clay provided water does not sit on the crown over winter, so mound the bed on heavy ground. Mulch 50mm deep between plants.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to settle the roots, then it survives on rainfall in most districts. A slow release native fertiliser in early spring is enough; it does not need rich soil.

Maintenance. No regular pruning. Every three or four years, cut older clumps back to about 15cm in early spring and they reshoot with fresh foliage. Remove any tired outer leaves by hand at the same time.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock and as a 140mm pack of ten. Tubes are the sensible choice for large mass plantings, since dianella establishes fast from small sizes and the cost per square metre is far lower. The 140mm pack of ten covers about 1.6 square metres at 40cm spacing and arrives as established young clumps with a full head of foliage.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect little movement in the first month, then steady growth to near full size within two seasons in a sunny position. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow and care for dianella
• Browse grasses and strappy leaf plants
• Plants for mass planting
• Plants for retaining walls and slopes

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

Six per square metre at 40cm spacing. For a single row border, allow two and a half plants per metre of edge and round up at the ends.

Will it spread into the lawn?

No. Unlike some flax lilies this is a non spreading clump, so it will not send runners into turf or neighbouring beds.

Do I need to cut it back?

Not annually. Most gardens get years of tidy growth before a clump needs renewing, and a hard cut back to 15cm in early spring brings it straight back.