Lomandra longifolia 'True Lime'

True Lime Lomandra

Botanical Name: Lomandra longifolia 'True Lime' PBR
Family: Asparagaceae
Origin: Australian cultivar selection (Ozbreed; species native to eastern Australia)
Plant Type: Evergreen clumping perennial / strappy-leaf grass

Overview

A standout addition to the Ozbreed Lomandra range, True Lime is specifically selected for one outstanding quality — its vibrant lime-green foliage colour that actually stays lime. Unlike many lime-coloured Lomandras that revert to darker green when fertilised or shift colour with soil pH, True Lime reliably holds its bright lime-green tone across different soils and climates, making it a trustworthy colour choice for designers and gardeners alike.
Compact and naturally tidy with medium-fine, gently weeping leaves and attractive golden male flowers, True Lime suits a broad range of applications across Adelaide — from mass plantings and garden borders to erosion control on slopes and colour accent work in mixed native plantings. Drought-tolerant, frost hardy and low maintenance, it thrives in Adelaide's Mediterranean climate with minimal care and is particularly well suited to the drier southern and western states.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 0.5–0.7 m H x 0.5–0.7 m W (compact, naturally tidy clumping habit with gently weeping foliage)
• Growth Rate: Moderate; 10–20 cm per year; establishes quickly from tubestock
• Foliage: Medium-fine, gently weeping strap-like leaves in vibrant, consistent lime-green; holds lime colour reliably across varying soils, pH and fertiliser levels; similar leaf width to Tanika Lomandra; clean, attractive habit year-round; evergreen
• Flowers: Attractive golden-yellow male flowers on short spikes among the foliage; spring; lightly fragrant; not showy but a pleasant seasonal addition
• Fragrance: Flowers lightly fragrant in spring
• Seasonal Interest: Vibrant lime-green foliage year-round providing consistent colour in all seasons; golden flower spikes in spring; strong root system develops steadily for excellent soil binding
• Wildlife Value: Flowers attract bees and beneficial insects; dense tussocks provide shelter for lizards, skinks and small garden wildlife
• Tolerance: Excellent drought tolerance once established; frost hardy (moderate to heavy frost); heat-tolerant; wind-tolerant; coastal-tolerant; adaptable to sandy, loamy and clay soils; avoid waterlogging and prolonged wet feet; avoid humid climates — best suited to southern and western states including SA
• Planting Density: Mass/groundcover planting: 3–5 plants per m² (45–55 cm spacing); border/edging: 3 plants per metre; erosion control on slopes: 4–5 plants per m²; suitable for containers (25 cm+)
• Pet Friendly: Non-toxic to cats and dogs

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade; best lime colour intensity and most compact habit in full sun; tolerates dappled shade well
• Soil: Well-drained soils preferred; adaptable to sandy, loamy and clay soils; tolerates Adelaide's coastal limestone soils; do not bury crown under soil or mulch; avoid waterlogging
• Water Needs: Establishment: deep soak 2–3 times/week for 8–12 weeks; mulch well. Established: very low; drought-tolerant; deep soak every 2–3 weeks in extreme summer heat; little to no watering needed in cooler months
• Maintenance: Very low maintenance; cut back by half every 3–7 years to rejuvenate older clumps; remove any brown or dead leaves as needed; apply a native low-phosphorus slow-release fertiliser in spring; mulch around plants (keep mulch away from crown)
• Lifespan: Long-lived perennial; 15+ years with periodic rejuvenation cut-backs
• Climate Zones: Excellent across all Adelaide zones; Adelaide Plains, coastal suburbs, foothills and inland SA; one of the best-suited Lomandras for SA's dry Mediterranean climate
• Soil pH: Adaptable; holds lime colour across varying pH — a key advantage over other lime Lomandras

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Mass planting as a reliable lime-green groundcover that holds its colour year-round and suppresses weeds as it knits together — ideal for large beds, verges and public landscapes
• Garden border and edging plant where the vibrant lime tone creates a crisp, bright contrast against darker green shrubs, blue-grey foliage and mulched beds
• Erosion control and slope stabilisation where the strong root system anchors soil on banks, embankments and drainage channels
• Colour contrast planting in native and contemporary gardens paired with deep green Lomandras, blue Dianellas or dark-leafed Westringia for a bold foliage colour palette
• Container planting for alfresco areas and courtyards where the cascading lime-green tussock provides textural interest at ground level

Why You Will Love It

True Lime does what it says on the label — it stays lime, reliably and consistently, no matter what the soil or season. If you have used lime-coloured Lomandras before and been frustrated by colour reversion, this is the cultivar that solves that problem. Tough, tidy, drought-proof and genuinely beautiful, it is one of the most dependable colour plants available for Adelaide's low-water gardens.