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Lomandra filiformis Savannah Blue ['LMF500'] PP18,859 (Blue Wattle Mat-Rush) - A small grass-like plant that forms small gray mounds to 1 foot tall and spreads slowly by short 1 inch long rhizomes. It has narrow leaves that have a dentate leaf apex and a glaucous leaf texture that results in an overall blue-green foliage color. The yellow flower spike is short and fairly insignificant, not reaching above the foliage and bears all male flowers. The root system is fibrous and spreading, making for good soil stabilization.
Plant in full sun to light shade in most soils from heavy clay to sandy well-draining soils. Tolerates moderate frost and drought conditions. An interesting little Lomandra that was marketed for its durability and gray coloration which would make it useful in mass plantings or for contrasting darker green or red foliage plants. Looks a bit like Sesleria caerulea but overall, more blue-gray and with leaf tips that are a tan color.
The name Lomandra comes from the Greek words 'loma' meaning "margin" and 'andros' meaning "male" and is in reference to a circular margin on the anthers. The specific epithet 'filiformis', meaning "thread-like" is in reference to the narrow leaves of the species. Lomandra filiformis 'LMF500' was discovered by Todd Layt in 1999 in nursery in New South Wales, Australia in a large seed crop lot of Lomandra filiformis. It was selected for its very blue coloration, more compact growth habit with a greater shoot density than common Lomandra filiformis. 'LMF500' is noted as having a more glaucous leaf texture than common Lomandra filiformis, which results in foliage with an overall blue-green foliage color instead of the grey-green to green foliage color typical of the species. We first received this plant for trial in 2007 from VersaScapes as part of their Celebrated Plant line but the plant was later marketed by the breeder through his Ozbreed Plants and it received U.S. Plant Patent PP18,859 in 2008.
While we found this variety to have a unique foliage color, it was not vigorous at our location when planted in the ground or in our nursery containers and had brown leaf tips that we felt unattractive. We started growing it in 2009 but discontinued production of in 2012. It is one of the few Lomandra that we don't even have a representative sample of in our Lomandra collection.
This information about Lomandra filiformis Savannah Blue ['LMF500'] PP18,859 displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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![Image of Lomandra filiformis Savannah Blue ['LMF500'] PP18,859](https://www.smgrowers.com/imagedb/Lomandra_CassaBlue.jpg )