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Lomandra longifolia 'Arctic Frost' PP33,431 (Arctic Frost Mat Rush) - An attractive evergreen grass-like perennial that grows to 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide with narrow dark green leaves with contrasting white edges. The leaves are at first erect towards the center of the plant and the arch over gracefully at the edges. As with other Lomandra, the leaf tips are curiously cut as though with pinking shears at the tips but are so narrow on this cultivar that this aspect is hardly noticeable.
Based on our experience with other lomandra varieties and the parent of this selection, we recommend planting this cultivar in full coastal sun to bright shade in a fairly well-drained soil. It should prove moderately drought tolerant once established but can also tolerate regular irrigation and should prove hardy to just below 20° F and be useful in USDA Zones 8 and above. One can cut back clumps every few years if needed to clean up and renew foliage and to remove any non-variegated shoots that might emerge.
'Arctic Frost' was selected in 2015 by Graeme Burton of Rukuhia Homestead Landscaping in Ohaupo, New Zealand as a variegated sport of Lomandra longifolia Nyalla ['LM400']. Unlike other variegated lomandra being grown, 'Arctic Frost' has proven fairly stable in the micropropagation (tissue culture) process, which has made it much more readily available in the nursery trade. We received plants for trial in September 2020 and our early observations of it are that it is a nice variegated Lomandra that should remain slightly smaller than Platinum Beauty ['Roma13'] and prove useful in the garden or in containers where the larger lomandra might prove too big - Graeme Burton suggests spacing the plants 4 feet apart in mass plantings so that some space remains between individual plants.
The name Lomandra comes from the Greek words 'loma' meaning "margin" and 'andros' meaning "male" and is in reference to a circular margin on the anthers. The specific epithet 'longifolia' means "long leaves". The genus Lomandra has long been placed in the past with the Australian Grass Trees in the Xanthorrhoaceae or related Dasypogonaceae and then more recently in its own family, the Lomandraceae, or combined with the Cordyline into the Laxmanniaceae. Current treatment is to put it in the subfamily Lomandroideae in the Asparagaceae. This plant was first introduced in California in spring 2021 and U.S. Plant Patent PP33,431 was issued on August 31, 2021.
We also grow three other very nice variegated Lomandra, Lomandra Platinum Beauty™ ['Roma 13'], Lomandra hystrix 'Sunsprite' and Lomandra hystrix ['LMV200'] Lucky Stripe and are building stock on another smaller cultivar with wider leaves called Lomandra longifolia 'Muru' Great White.
This information about Lomandra longifolia 'Arctic Frost' PP33,431 displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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