Crackerjack Mat Rush

Crackerjack Mat Rush (Lomandra confertifolia 'Crackerjack') is the fine leaved native grass to reach for when you want a clean massed edge that never needs mowing. It forms a tidy tussock about 50cm tall and 60cm wide, with narrow blue green blades that arch evenly rather than flopping open. It handles frost, drought, heat, salt and poor soil, and it is safe around cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• It stays neat on its own. The tussock holds a compact rounded shape at 50cm by 60cm and does not sprawl, so a mass planting still looks deliberate three years in.
• Finer than a common lomandra. Narrow softly arching blades read as texture rather than a clump of coarse strappy leaves.
• Almost nothing kills it. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil, from the tropics to arid inland gardens.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it works along a path or lawn edge where animals brush past it.
• Roots that hold ground. The fibrous root system binds soil, which is why it is standard on batters and above retaining walls.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 40cm apart for a continuous massed edge. At that spacing the tussocks touch within two seasons and read as one band of texture.

Slopes and retaining walls. Massed at 40cm centres it stabilises a batter and softens the top of a wall, and it copes with the fast drainage and reflected heat.

Rockeries and groundcover. Single tussocks between rocks give scale and movement. Over a larger area, 40cm spacing gives cover that needs no mowing and very little water.

Growing Crackerjack Mat Rush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the tightest, best coloured tussock, and part shade is tolerated with a looser habit. It grows across tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and arid districts, and it is frost hardy.

Soil. Free draining is the priority. Sandy, gravelly and poor soils all suit it. On heavy clay, mound the planting area, since prolonged wet around the crown causes most losses.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer to establish the roots, then only in extended dry weather. A light controlled release native fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Every two or three years, cut the clump back to about 15cm in early spring. It reshoots quickly and comes back tighter and better coloured. Between those cuts, pull out browned blades by hand.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in 140mm pots in packs of ten, the practical unit for the mass planting and edging work this plant is bought for. Each arrives as an established young tussock, well rooted and usually 20cm to 30cm across, so it goes straight into the ground.

Grasses travel well. Some blade tips may look creased or dry after transit, which is cosmetic. Expect roots to move within a month in warm weather and full size in the second season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete guide to growing and caring for lomandra
• Browse the full lomandra range
• Plants for retaining walls and slopes
• Compare plants suited to rockeries

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 40cm centres you need about six plants per square metre. A pack of ten covers roughly 1.6 square metres, which is a useful figure when pricing a bed or a verge strip.

Does it need cutting back?

Not often. A hard cut to about 15cm every two or three years in early spring refreshes the clump and clears dead blades. In between, hand pulling the odd brown leaf is all it takes.

Is it safe if my dog chews on it?

Yes. This lomandra is not toxic to cats or dogs, and the blades are fine rather than sharp edged, so it suits a path edge or lawn border in a household with pets.