Frosty Top Lomandra

Frosty Top Lomandra (Lomandra confertifolia ssp. rubiginosa 'Frosty Top') is a fine leafed native tussock that holds a neat dome about 0.5m tall and 0.5m wide without ever needing to be cut back. The foliage is a soft silver green, much finer than the common mat rush, and cream flower spikes sit just above it in spring. It is the low maintenance answer for mass planting, edging and the awkward strip beside a driveway.

Why you'll love it

• Fine silver green foliage. Much softer in texture than standard lomandras, so it reads as an ornamental grass rather than a utility plant.
• It stays the size it says. A tidy 0.5m dome, year after year, with no spreading and no annual hack back.
• Tough almost everywhere. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil, from arid inland gardens to coastal fronts.
• Spring flower spikes. Cream spikes lift above the foliage and carry a light honey scent.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 50cm apart, four plants per square metre, for a continuous silver green carpet that closes in about two seasons. Stick to a single spacing across a whole bed so the texture stays even.

Borders, edging and rockeries. A run at 50cm centres defines a path or a bed edge without blocking any view. It sits well between boulders and pebble mulch.

Pots, retaining walls and slopes. The fibrous root system holds soil on a bank, and in a pot the fine foliage softens hard architectural lines on a balcony or terrace.

Growing Frosty Top Lomandra in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun through to part shade, with the densest form in full sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens, which covers most of the country, and established plants handle frost without damage.

Soil. Any reasonably drained soil, including sandy, gravelly and poor ground. It does not need improved beds. On heavy clay, plant slightly proud of the surface so water moves away from the crown.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer to establish, then only during long dry spells. A single application of slow release native fertiliser in early spring is all it asks, and overfeeding simply makes the foliage floppy.

Pruning. Almost none. Trim spent flower spikes if you want a tidier look, and cut a tired plant back by half in early spring every three or four years to refresh it. Note that this is a protected variety, so propagating it for sale is not permitted.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in tube and in 140mm pots sold in packs of 10. Tubes are small, with a modest fan of leaves, and they establish very quickly because the root system is proportionally large. For any planting over a few square metres the 140mm pack is the better value and gives visible cover a season sooner.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect little top growth for the first six weeks while roots go down, then steady clumping through the first warm season. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare varieties in the lomandra collection.
• Read our complete guide to growing lomandra.
• See more plants for mass planting.
• Browse the wider grasses and strappy leaf range.

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

Four, at 50cm spacing. That gives a continuous cover in roughly two seasons without plants crowding and losing their individual domed shape.

Does it need cutting back each year?

No. Unlike larger mat rushes it holds a tidy shape on its own. A cut back by half every three or four years in early spring is enough to keep it fresh.

Will it grow in a pot?

Yes, and it holds its shape well in one. Use a pot 300mm or wider with free draining mix, and water through summer even though the plant is drought tolerant in the ground.