Lomandra longifolia Great White ['Muru'] PP29,618 (Great White Matt Rush) - A compact variegated evergreen grass-like perennial to 18 to 20 inches tall with medium narrow green strap-shaped leaves with white striations and broad white margins. It has masses of small yellow male flowers in March and April that are sweetly fragrant.
Plant in full sun to moderate shade. This is a drought tolerant plant once established, particularly when grown in some shade along the coast, but can also tolerate regular irrigation so long as the soil drains freely and it tough enough to be used fairly close to the beach. Hardy to around 18° F. This tough and useful cultivar can is a great garden plant that requires little to no maintenance once established. It is a smaller growing broad leafed variegated Lomandra that is reliable and tough and can be used to brighten up a spot or used in en masse. It has been described by some as resembling a variegated form of the reliable and tough Lomandra longifolia 'Katrinus Deluxe'.
'Muru' is a selection made in 2010 by Deborah Timbery of Penrith, New South Wales, Australia from a block of seedlings that were the result of open pollinated seed on an unnamed Lomandra longifolia plant. This seedling was isolated and grown to a mature size to assess the stability of the variegation and overall plant vigor and in April 2011 was divided to increase numbers and further test its hardiness and stability. It proved to be a strong growing variegated plant with no reversion of the variegation observed. It was introduced through an organization called Muru Mittigar that works to create a better understanding of Australia's Aboriginal culture and provides jobs, support and training for sustained employment opportunities for indigenous Australians. It is marketed worldwide by Ozbreed Plants in Australia and in the US by Dig Plants and it received US Plant Patent PP29,618 that was filed in December 2016.
We originally received plants for trail of 'Muro' in January 2017 from Jo O'Connell of Australian Native Plants in Casitas Springs, CA.
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 'longifolia' means "long leaves". The genus Lomandra has long been placed with the Australian Grass Trees in the Xanthorrhoaceae or related Dasypogonaceae and more in its own family, the Lomandraceae, or combined with the Cordyline into the Laxmanniaceae, but current treatment is to put it in the subfamily Lomandroideae in the Asparagaceae. We are working to get this plant out for sale in the field but also grow other very nice variegated Lomandra, Lomandra Platinum Beauty™ ['Roma 13'] introduced through the Sunset Western Garden collection, our own introduction Lomandra hystrix 'Sunsprite' another Ozbreed introduced cultivar Lomandra hystrix ['LMV200'] Lucky Stripe and another smaller cultivar introduced in 2021 with narrow upright leaves called Lomandra "Arctic Frost'.
This information about Lomandra longifolia Great White ['Muru'] PP29,618 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.
|