More Tufted Plants-Orthrosanthos Species

Orthrosanthos multiflorus is a pretty tufted plant with mauve blue flowers. Again this a ‘native iris’ plant. The flower spike stands above the leaves and flowers open one by one up the stem each only lasting for a short time. This grows quite well in the high pH (highly alkaline) soil of the mound that I have it on. It appears to be quite long lived and drought tolerant.

Others in the genus are Orthrosanthos polystachys, and Orthrosanthos laxus. Orthrosanthos polystachys has deep purply- blue flowers on tall stems held well sbove the foliage. Orthrosanthos laxus is a light mauve blue with the stem a little taller than the foliage. Again these look good planted in groups of three to five plants together. That way the succession of flowers prolongs the flowering period.

These are all from Western Australia. What’s more they are frost hardy and need a well drained position with full sun to part shade. Mine get morning sun and then dappled shade for the rest of the day.