Evergreen Baby™ Lomandra

Evergreen Baby Lomandra (Lomandra 'Evergreen Baby') is a dwarf native tussock that holds at roughly 40cm tall and 40cm wide, and that size is what makes it useful. The foliage is fine, deep green and evergreen, and unlike the taller lomandras it rarely needs a cutback to stay tidy. It handles drought and periodic wet feet, so it works in a dry verge and in the bottom of a swale.

Why you'll love it

• It stays at 40cm. No annual shear, no flopping over a path edge, and no bare gap in the middle of the clump by year three.
• Dry or wet, it copes. Drought tolerant and wet feet tolerant at once, which suits rain gardens, batters and dry verges alike.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. Non invasive, so it can be planted hard against paving, pipework and retaining walls.
• Australian native and low maintenance. Poor soil tolerant, salt tolerant and frost hardy, which covers most difficult sites in one plant.

Where it works best

Mass planting and groundcover. Plant 0.4m apart, roughly six plants to the square metre, for a continuous green mat. At that density the clumps meet in two seasons and shade out most weed seedlings.

Borders and edging. A single row at 0.4m centres gives a soft, even edge along a path or driveway that never needs clipping straight.

Retaining walls and slopes. Fibrous roots bind loose soil on a batter, and the low height will not obscure the wall it sits above.

Growing Evergreen Baby Lomandra in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with denser foliage in sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and it is frost hardy, so tableland and cold southern sites are no problem. Deep shade thins it out.

Soil. Almost anything, from sand to clay, and poor ground is tolerated. Drainage is a bonus rather than a requirement, since it accepts short periods of waterlogging. Mulch 50mm deep and keep it off the crown.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then taper to occasional deep soaks in dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring. Overfeeding produces soft, floppy growth.

Pruning. Usually none. Pull away dead leaf material by hand once a year, and if a planting looks tired after three or four seasons, shear the whole bed to about 150mm in early spring and it will reshoot cleanly.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it as tube stock and in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten. Tubes are the way to plant a large area, since the cost per plant makes proper 0.4m spacing affordable. The 140mm packs are a season ahead and close the gaps faster, which suits a shorter run or a courtyard.

Strappy plants travel well, so expect a few creased leaves and no lasting harm. Keep the bed damp for the first month and look for new growth from the centre within four to six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The lomandra care guide
• The full lomandra range
• Grasses and strappy leaf plants
• Plants for retaining walls and slopes

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

Six, at the recommended 0.4m spacing. Going tighter wastes plants without closing the cover much sooner, and going wider leaves visible soil for a third season.

Does it need cutting back like other lomandras?

Rarely. This one is bred to stay compact and self tidying, so most gardens never shear it. A hard cutback to 150mm in early spring is an option every few years if the clumps thin out.

Will it survive a wet spot?

Yes, within reason. It tolerates the seasonal waterlogging you get in a swale or a low corner after heavy rain. Permanent standing water is a different matter and will rot the crown.