Flax Lily, or Tututu
LILIACEAE, The lily family or PHORMIACEAE, The New Zealand Flax family, if you want to get specific.

Cistus Nursery never fails to delight. It was Anne’s first time there and we had fun perusing the unusual wares. Dianella intermedia caught our eye because it has insanely vibrant violet berries. We tried to guess what it was, and only came close. There was no label on the plant, so we sent an employee to find out while we marveled over it. Later I found out that it is native to Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island in New South Wales. It should be hardy to 18° F (zone 9). It grows 3 to 5 feet tall.

In another greenhouse we found one of its 30 realatives, Dianella tasmanica, which is smaller, growing 2 to 3 feet tall, and has narrower leaves. Its flowers are light blue and the berries are turquoise. Both are evergreen perennials that can grow in sun to part shade and like regular water and well-drained soil. A variegated version of D. tasmanica grows 1 to 2 feet tall and does well in dry shade.

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