Dianella: characteristics, care and curiosity

Of Australian origin, rich in foliage, full of delicate flowers, dianella is one of the most loved plants by creators and garden lovers around the world. Easy to grow, long lasting, it is a plant that gives a fantastic effect when placed in a garden. Let’s see together what are its peculiarities.

1. main features

Dianella is a herbaceous plant, originally from Australia, which is part of the Hemerocallidaceae family. Its maximum height is 50 cm and therefore it is often used to fill and cover gardens and flower beds. The Dianella dimensions are quite small, on average 40 cm high and with a maximum diameter of 100-150 cm.

Its main feature is resistance to cold temperatures, even if its vegetation is very slow and at least 2-5 years of vegetation are required to reach the maximum development. It can be grown in pots, in the ground or inside a garden, in fact, being small but very voluminous, it is well suited to fill the voids of our gardens or terraces.

Its leaves are long and thin and variegated on the sides with cream-colored streaks. In spring it is possible to notice the appearance of small greenish-white flowers from which dark blue berries develop in late autumn.

2. cultivation

The cultivation of Dianella tasmanica must be done using a type of chalky and sandy soil, with some clayey components. In fact, if you want to obtain good vegetation results, the choice of soil is essential, but the correct drainage of the soil is equally important. In fact, humidity is the enemy of the vegetation of this plant, so it will be necessary to monitor the degree of humidity in the subsoil to always keep it at the right Ph level.

The ideal pH for the cultivation of dianella is an alkaline, neutral and acidic pH. The dianella is a plant that grows correctly regardless of exposure, so it can be placed in full sun, or even in dim light, although it is always preferable to expose it to the sun for an abundant number of hours. It resists temperature variations very well and adapts well to various growing conditions. It does not require great attention during cultivation, it is necessary to respect the needs of the plant in terms of irrigation and drainage.

Watering should be done at least every 1-2 weeks with a few glasses of water. Do not over-water the plant to avoid the onset of fungal diseases.

3. Diseases and treatments in brief

To avoid creating suffering for the plant due to poor nutrition, it is good to fertilize and nourish the plant with a soil rich in nutrients. Excess water could also generate fungi and parasites that could destroy the plant. It is good to know that perennials are subject to periods of vegetative rest, in such months it is preferable not to water them. It is important to properly drain the soil to avoid the onset of fungal diseases and do not proceed with further watering if the soil is not completely dry.

4. curiosity

The dianella in addition to being an ornamental plant, perfect for enriching our gardens, is also a useful plant for the indigenous Australian populations. Not everyone knows that in fact, since ancient times, indigenous Australians wove their baskets with dianella leaves. They created real ornamental weaves with this foliage, to create one of the most used tools within the tribe. In the West it is imported and used above all to create the famous architectural and spectacular gardens that have depopulated in the West for years. Today this long-leaved plant is mainly used in parks and gardens to create that neutral “carpet” on which to place one’s most precious flowers.