What to Plant with Lomandra: Native Companion Planting Guide

Have you ever wondered how you can make your lomandra thrive and look amazing paired with other plants in your garden? The answer lies in companion planting with native species.

In this article, we delve into the best native companion plants for lomandra, a popular choice for landscaping due to its versatility and resilience.

Understanding Lomandra: Low Maintenance Drought Tolerant Erosion Controllers

Lomandra is a hardy, evergreen plant native to Australia. It’s known for its long, strappy grass like foliage and compact growth habit. It’s a popular choice for various settings, from residential gardens to commercial landscapes, public spaces and along roadsides.

Lomandras are famous for their ability to control erosion, with Lomandra longifolia Katie Belles™ Lomandra hystrix ‘LHBYF’ PBR controlling erosion by 285%. You can see more of the best erosion-controlling plants here.

Regardless of your soil conditions – be it free-draining, heavy, wet or dry – there’s a lomandra variety that will fit the space. This adaptability is one of the reasons why gardeners and landscape professionals alike choose lomandra as a staple in their designs.

They love full sun, but some varieties don’t mind partial shade. They’re typically low maintenance, provided you don’t commit to pruning them into a dome every few months.

Lomandras are frequented by pollinating beetles, and ants love their seeds. While these pollinators may not be as charismatic as native bees or parasitoid wasps, they’re incredibly important for our native ecosystems and are not being catered to by other plants in our gardens.

Their clumping habit provides habitat for a range of fauna including many birds, who love to dive into the safety of a thicket of spiky flower stalks and fibrous leaves to escape the gaze and reach of predators.

Pairing lomandra with other native plants can further enhance its growth, ecological value and aesthetic appeal. These companion plants often share similar needs and can help create a balanced ecosystem, promoting healthier growth and a more attractive landscape.

These plant communities also allow for a more diverse range of fauna to thrive.

Understanding Companion Planting

Companion planting is a time-tested gardening practice that involves growing different plants close together for mutual benefit. This technique can lead to enhanced growth, natural pest control, increased pollination, and improved biodiversity.

Choosing the right companion plants for lomandras can have several advantages. These include improved soil health, better water management, and enhanced visual interest. The best native companions are adapted to the same local conditions as lomandra, making them more likely to thrive together.

It’s important to note that companion planting isn’t about strictly adhering to a prescribed list of plant communities. In essence, any plants you put together in a garden are companions. What matters is how well they work together, complementing each other’s needs and contributing to a harmonious landscape.

So, what makes for good companion plants? A few factors to consider include similar growth requirements (such as sunlight, water, and soil preferences), complementary growth habits (for instance, a tall plant providing shade for a sun-sensitive one), and beneficial interactions (like attracting pollinators or deterring pests).

In the following sections, we’ll delve into some of the best native companions for lomandra, helping you create a thriving, visually appealing landscape.

Best Native Companion Plants for Lomandra

Grevillea spp.

The Grevillea genus offers a delightful array of flowers and foliage that can beautifully complement the grass-like clumping form of lomandra. Known for their striking spider-like flowers, grevillea species can add a burst of colour and texture to your garden.

Pairing grevillea with lomandra can create a stunning contrast between the fine, linear leaves of lomandra and the often intricate, fern-like foliage of grevillea. Ecologically, these two plants share similar needs in terms of sunlight and water requirements, making them compatible companions.

Additionally, grevillea’s nectar-rich flowers attract pollinators that aren’t catered to by lomandras, which can benefit the overall health and biodiversity of your garden.

Grevilleas are sensitive to most fertilisers, so use a native one which is low in phosphorous. Your lomandras are happy to take more phosphorous, but can get by without when planted along with Proteaceae members like grevilleas.

Eucalypts

The eucalypt group, comprising the genera Eucalyptus, Corymbia, and Angophora, is a staple in many Australian landscapes. Their towering stature and distinctive bark provide a dramatic backdrop against which lomandra can shine.

Eucalypts, with their deep root systems, are adept at accessing water from deeper soil layers, potentially reducing competition for water resources with lomandra, which generally has a more superficial root system. This pairing of thick, deep roots from the eucalypt and shallow, fibrous roots from the lomandra are a powerful combo for soil erosion control.

On top of this, the dappled shade provided by eucalypts can offer respite for lomandra during the hottest parts of the day, while their fallen leaves can contribute valuable mulch and compost to the soil.

Acacia spp.

Acacia, also known as wattle, is a genus that encompasses a wide variety of species with differing growth habits, from low-growing shrubs to tall trees. Some species are native to Australia, while others are native to Southern Africa. Their bright, globular floral displays and feathery foliage can provide a delightful contrast to the strap-like leaves of lomandra.

Acacia species are known for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, which can enhance soil fertility and benefit neighbouring plants like lomandra. Furthermore, many acacias have fast growth rates, providing quick results in new or revamped landscapes.

Just keep in mind that acacias are often shorter-lived than other trees like most eucalypts.

Callistemon spp.

Callistemon, commonly known as bottlebrush due to its distinctive, brush-like flowers, can add a splash of vibrant colour to any landscape. Their dense growth habit and eye-catching flowers make them a great companion for lomandra.

Callistemons are typically hardy plants that share similar growth conditions with lomandra, making them an easy fit in the same garden.

Their flowers are also a magnet for birds and beneficial insects, enhancing the ecological health of your garden space. Birds love to perch and squabble in established bottlebrush bushes and trees.

Chrysocephalum apiculatum

Chrysocephalum apiculatum, also known as yellow buttons or common everlasting, is a low-growing plant known for its bright aster flowers. Its sprawling habit and cheerful blooms can create a beautiful groundcover around taller lomandra plants.

This plant’s ability to thrive in a range of soil types, combined with its drought tolerance, makes it a fitting companion for hardy lomandra. Plus, the flowers of Chrysocephalum apiculatum attract beneficial insects, which will feed on mealy bugs and scale should they attack your lomandra.

Scaevola spp.

Scaevola, also known as fan flowers, offer a unique aesthetic with their fan-shaped flowers and trailing growth habit. They can serve as a striking foreground for the upright form of lomandra.

Like lomandra, many scaevola species are tough and adaptable, capable of thriving in various conditions. Their ground-hugging nature can also help conserve soil moisture, benefiting all plants in the vicinity.

Westringia spp.

Westringia, or native rosemary, is a genus of shrubs known for their hardiness and attractive, rosemary-like foliage. Their robust nature and subtle, mauve or white flowers can complement the bolder form of lomandra.

Westringia and many lomandras both appreciate well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade, making them compatible gardening companions. Plus, the dense growth of westringia can provide shelter for small birds, contributing to garden biodiversity.

Dianella spp.

Dianella, or flax lilies, are a group of plants that bear a resemblance to lomandra with their strappy leaves. However, their brightly coloured berries and star-like flowers offer a point of difference.

Dianella species have similar cultural requirements to lomandra, making them easy to grow together. Their berries also provide a food source for birds, enhancing the ecological value of your garden.

Blue-banded bees are possibly one of Australia’s most beloved native insect. They have a special ability to access dianella pollen by vibrating (or “buzzing”) at a certain frequency to unlock dianella pollen, providing a valuable food resource.

Tips for Successful Companion Planting with Lomandra

Choosing the right companion plants for lomandra can significantly enhance the health and appearance of your garden or landscape. However, it’s important to consider a few factors to ensure successful companion planting:

1.   Soil Type: Both lomandra and its companion plants should ideally thrive in the same soil conditions. Whether it’s sandy, loamy, or clay, choose companion plants that can tolerate the same soil type as your lomandra. There’s a lomandra to suit any soil type, whether it’s dry, soggy, or somewhere between.

2.   Climate: Make sure that the companion plants you choose are suited to your local climate. “Native” plants all come from totally different regions in Australia, so you can’t assume your plant will love the conditions of your garden. Look for plants that are tolerant to humidity, frost, heat, cold, etc.

3.   Watering Requirements: To make watering easier and more efficient, select companion plants with similar watering needs to lomandra. Overwatering or underwatering can lead to plant stress, making plants more susceptible to disease and pests. And it’s not easy to cater to plants with different water needs within the same bed.

When it comes to planting and care, place lomandra and its companions at an appropriate distance from each other to avoid overcrowding and competition for resources. Check the label for spacing recommendations and mature sizes.

Regular watering, especially during the first few months, will help establish strong root systems. After that, you can consider watering rarely but deeply, ensuring water is penetrating into the soil profile.

As native bush plants, lomandra and its companions typically require little to no fertiliser and only minimal pruning. Lomandras can get by with almost no pruning, except for a reinvigorating hard prune to the base every few years and/or removing rhizomes if the plant begins to encroach over walkways.

If you encounter any issues, such as yellowing leaves or stunted growth, first check the basics: Are the plants getting the right amount of water? Is the soil draining well? Are there any signs of pests or disease? Have they been planted too deeply? Have you over-fertilised? Are they getting enough sunlight?

Often, resolving these basic issues can help restore plant health. But if your lomandra or companion are overly fussy, consider replacing them with another plant that’s easier to manage.

Daniel’s Wrap

Choosing native companion plants for lomandra offers multiple benefits, from enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your garden to creating a more balanced and resilient ecosystem. Native plants have co-evolved with lomandra, making them naturally compatible in terms of their growth requirements and ecological roles.

We encourage you to experiment with different combinations of lomandra and its native companions in your own garden or landscaping projects.

Whether it’s the vibrant flowers of grevillea, the towering stature of eucalypts, or the ground-hugging habit of scaevola, there’s a wealth of options to explore. Through trial and observation, you can discover the pairings that work best in your unique setting, creating a landscape that is both beautiful and ecologically vibrant.