Lomandra longifolia aka Longleaf Mat Rush

Lomandra longifolia, or longleaf mat-rush, lives for more than one year. It is part of the plant family Asparagaceae. Its home range spans east and southeast Australia, plus Tasmania. It grows in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. It also grows in the southeast of South Australia. In the wild, it grows on creek banks and rocky slopes. Other sites include cliffs, open forests, and sandy swamps. It grows in other wet sites, too. Its range also takes in mountain areas.

Plants reach about 3.3 feet (1 metre) tall. The leaves yield tough fibre for a range of uses. People weave it into baskets and make string from it. You can eat the white leaf bases raw. PFAF says they taste much like green peas. It lists both leaves and flowers as food. This does not mean that all leaf parts are safe to eat.

Male and female flowers grow on plants of each sex. To get seed, gardeners need plants of both sexes. You can eat both kinds of flowers raw. PFAF says the male flowers are easier to gather. The flowers taste like fresh peas as well. Their nectar has a strong scent that draws beetles. These beetles help the flowers set seed by moving pollen. The sources give no months when the plant blooms. They give no facts about its fruit, either.

This plant grows in sun or part shade. It grows in sand, loam, and clay soils. It copes with soils that are slightly acid or alkaline. Neutral soil suits it, too. PFAF says it prefers moist soil. Garden reports from Australia note good growth in many soils. They also report success with a range of exposures. Plants there cope with floods that last a short time. These traits suit beds and the sunny edges of woods. The evidence gives no mature spread or rate of growth.

Reports from Australia record survival at about 19°F (−7°C). This alone does not show how well it withstands British cold. Cooler summers may change how it fares there. Longer, wetter winters may also affect it. PFAF says its ability to cope in Britain remains unclear. Its notes on raising plants suggest shelter for young plants. This applies through their first winter outside. These notes are tentative, not tested steps for this species. The source lists no known hazards or uses as medicine. It names no pests or diseases. Nor does it flag the plant as weedy. A lack of known hazards does not prove safety for pets.