General Description:
Stypandra is a genus consisting of two species, Stypandra glauca and S. jamesii. Stypandras are perennial herbs with small ‘lily-like’ flowers and are closely related to the genera Dianella and Thelionema.
Stypandra glauca is the most commonly encountered species due to its wide distribution. It has a somewhat shrubby habit of growth with stem-clasping, lance-shaped leaves from 50 to 200 mm long arranged alternately on either side of the stems. The small, blue flowers occur on branched stems up from the ends of the branches. The flowers have conspicuous yellow stamens with a hooked end (a distinguishing feature from the related Dianella) and usually occur in winter and spring.
This is a fairly commonly grown species and it has proven to be hardy in most reasonably drained soils and a sunny or semi-shaded position.
Propagation is relatively easy from seed which does not require any special pre-treatment and older plants can be divided, although the divisions should not be too small.
Stypandra glauca
Photo: Ivan Margitta