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Murdannia graminea

grass lily

Commelinaceae Northern and eastern Australia

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 10–11

Overview

A tufted perennial herb growing from fleshy, somewhat tuberous roots, forming grassy clumps 8-20 inches (20-50 cm) tall and 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) wide. Leaves are linear and grass-like, 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) long and 0.1-0.3 inch (3-8 mm) wide, green, mostly in a basal tuft. Flowers blue to purple, 0.4-0.8 inch (10-20 mm) across, with three rounded petals and yellow-tipped stamens, opening on branched stems held above the foliage. Each flower opens for a single morning. Flowering occurs spring through summer, often after rain. Fruit a small capsule holding several seeds. The clump dies back to the roots in dry or cold periods and reshoots with moisture. Flowers close by midday in hot weather.

Native Range

Native to northern and eastern Australia, including Queensland, the Northern Territory, and New South Wales. Grows in open eucalypt woodland, grassland, and seasonally moist flats on sandy and loamy soils, flowering after the start of the wet season.

Suggested Uses

Planted in native grass gardens, rockeries, and containers at 8-12 inch (20-30 cm) spacing. Suits seasonally moist and low-water plantings that dry out in winter. Grows in containers of at least 2 gallons (8 L) with free-draining mix.

How to Identify

Recognized by a basal tuft of grass-like leaves and blue to purple three-petalled flowers 0.4-0.8 inch (10-20 mm) across on branched stems. Each flower lasts a single morning. The grassy foliage and tuberous roots separate it from the spreading, fleshy-stemmed Commelina spp. species.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 1'8"

Width/Spread6" - 1'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowers spring through summer, mainly after rain, in its native range. Individual flowers open in the morning and close by midday, especially in heat. Successive flowers continue over several weeks. Flowering is heaviest in the early wet season.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Blue to purple

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-9 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Water during the growing season; the plant dies back to its roots in dry or cold periods and reshoots with moisture. Grows in full sun to part shade on free-draining sandy or loamy soils. Tolerates seasonal drought once dormant. Lift and divide congested clumps in the dormant season to maintain vigor. Few pests trouble it. No fertilizer is needed in average soils.

Pruning

Remove spent flower stems to tidy the clump and reduce self-seeding. Cut back dying foliage as the plant enters dormancy. Divide clumps during dormancy to maintain vigor. No structural pruning is required.

Pruning Schedule

fall