Thysanotus patersonii
twining fringe-lily
Overview
Thysanotus patersonii is a leafless or nearly leafless twining perennial herb growing from a tuberous rootstock. Wiry green stems twine over surrounding vegetation and reach 20-60 cm (8-24 in) in length. The violet to purple flowers are 1.5-2.5 cm (0.6-1 in) across, with three petals whose margins are deeply fringed into slender threads, the feature that names the genus. Six yellow anthers sit at the centre of each flower, which opens for a single day. The plant is essentially leafless at flowering, with photosynthesis carried out in the green stems; any basal leaves wither early. Small capsules follow, holding black seeds. It grows in eucalypt forest and woodland understorey, usually in sandy or loam soils, and dies back to the tuber through summer dormancy. Limitation: the above-ground growth is ephemeral, so the plant is visible only for a short period each year, and the single-day flowers open a few at a time rather than all at once.
Native Range
Southern and eastern Australia, including New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, southern Queensland, and Western Australia. It grows in eucalypt forest, woodland, and heath understorey.Suggested Uses
Grown in native and bushland gardens, rockeries, and containers where the twining stems can scramble over low support. It suits seasonally dry, sandy sites in eucalypt-woodland plantings.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread4" - 1'
Bloom Information
Violet fringed flowers appear in spring, from roughly August to November depending on latitude. Each flower lasts a single day, opening in the morning and closing by afternoon. Flowering follows winter and early spring rains.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
violet to purpleFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in free-draining sandy or loam soils in part to full sun. It needs a dry summer dormancy and tolerates seasonal drought once the tuber is established. Water during the autumn-to-spring growing season, then reduce water as the foliage dies back in summer. Plants are hardy to frost within their native range. The species is rarely cultivated and is hard to transplant because of the deep tuber. The wiry stems twine through low surrounding vegetation for support.Pruning
No pruning is required. The stems die back to the tuber during summer dormancy and regrow after autumn rains. Withered stems can be removed once the plant is dormant.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons