Dianella nigra Turutu, Inkberry
April 25th 2004Dianella nigra Turutu, Inkberry
Often mistaken for a small flax, this attractive plant is common in northern forests and has made its way into in many ornamental gardens. It forms dense tufts to 50cm. tall. It survives in a variety of habitats from gumlands to forest.
Its most obvious feature is its indigo coloured berries that appear in autumn. They can be simply shaken from the plant when mature.
The seeds should germinate a month or two after been sown on a fine seed sowing mix. Do not overwater.
The beautiful flowers usually open in the morning.
If you wish to learn more about native plants I suggest one of these natural history books from fishpond