Blue-toned Dianella cultivars offer a striking combination of form, function, and resilience for landscape specifiers and designers in NZ. These strappy-leaved performers don’t just add cool-toned contrast—they deliver low-maintenance structure, year-round interest, and proven adaptability across a range of soil types and urban conditions. But not all blue-toned Dianella are created equal. Which cultivars truly stand the test of time in New Zealand’s unique climate zones?
Baby Bliss™ Dianella revoluta ‘DTN03’
Baby Bliss™ Dianella is a compact, cool-toned Dianella that brings a soft, silvery-blue aesthetic to structured planting schemes. With its tight clumping habit and naturally tidy form, it’s ideally suited to formal designs, streetscapes, or commercial settings where low-maintenance symmetry is desired. This cultivar maintains a consistent height of around 40 cm, offering a refined edging solution or low border element. It thrives in full sun to part shade and performs well in a variety of well-drained soils, including sandy and clay-based profiles. Its moderate drought and frost tolerance enhance its reliability, particularly in urban environments where extremes can challenge more delicate selections.
https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/baby-bliss-dianella/
Blue Twist™ Dianella prunina ‘DP303’
Offering a dynamic mix of blue, green, and even purple-toned foliage, Blue Twist™ Dianella introduces a unique visual texture not often seen in the Dianella genus. Its twisted leaf habit creates movement and depth in mass plantings, especially when viewed from a distance. Reaching 40–50 cm high, this cultivar remains compact and is best used in massed displays or layered beneath taller shrubs for contrast. Blue Twist™ Dianella performs well in free-draining soils and exhibits good drought tolerance once established, making it a viable candidate for coastal or inland designs. While visually softer than some upright forms, it can deliver high landscape impact when repeated rhythmically through a planting bed.
https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/blue-twist-dianella/
Cassa Blue™ Dianella caerulea ‘DBB03’ PVR
Cassa Blue™ Dianella remains a favourite among landscape professionals for its reliable performance and striking blue foliage. It presents a clean, arching form to 40–50 cm high, offering a strong visual anchor for low planting areas. Unlike some Dianella caerulea selections, Cassa Blue™ Dianella is bred for uniformity and resists untidy spreading, making it especially well-suited to high-profile areas such as entrances, car parks, or civic landscapes. It thrives in full sun to part shade and is tolerant of a range of soil types, provided drainage is adequate. With moderate frost resistance and reliable colour retention throughout the seasons, this variety balances ornamental appeal with practical durability in New Zealand conditions.
https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/cassa-blue-dianella/
Clarity Blue™ Dianella hybrid ‘DP401’
Clarity Blue™ Dianella is a robust hybrid combining the best traits of its parent plants, Cassa Blue® and Utopia® flaxes. It features clean, rich blue foliage and a clumping habit, making it ideal for accent planting or massed displays. This cultivar reaches approximately 55 cm in height and 45 cm in width, offering a compact form suitable for various landscape applications. Clarity Blue™ thrives in full sun to part shade and is tolerant of both drought and frost conditions. It prefers well-drained soils, including clay loam, and can handle periodic wet feet, although prolonged saturation should be avoided. The plant produces showy flower stems in summer, adding seasonal interest to its striking foliage. Low maintenance requirements and adaptability make Clarity Blue™ Dianella a dependable choice for New Zealand landscapes.
https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/clarity-blue-dianella/
Revelation™ Dianella revoluta ‘DRG04’ PVR
Revelation® Dianella is a medium-sized Australian flax cultivar known for its blue-green foliage and resilience in challenging conditions. It grows to approximately 50 cm in height and width, forming a slightly spreading clump that provides excellent erosion control, strengthening soil by up to 135%. This cultivar performs well in full sun to part shade and is tolerant of drought and frost. Revelation® is particularly notable for its ability to handle periodic wet feet, outperforming other Dianella revoluta types in wet conditions. It is suitable for a range of soil types, including sandy, sandy loam, and clay soils, provided they are well-drained. The plant produces small blue flowers from October to November, enhancing its ornamental appeal. With low maintenance needs and adaptability, Revelation® Dianella is an excellent choice for both commercial and residential landscapes in New Zealand.
https://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/revelation-dianella/
Little Rev™ Dianella revoluta ‘DR5000’ PVR
Little Rev™ Dianella is a compact, blue-grey Dianella cultivar known for its architectural form and low maintenance requirements. Reaching approximately 30–40 cm in height and width, it forms a dense, upright clump, making it suitable for modern landscapes, borders, and container plantings. This cultivar thrives in full sun to moderate shade and is tolerant of drought and frost, performing well in a variety of well-drained soils, including sandy and clay loams. Little Rev™ Dianella is particularly noted for its resilience in coastal conditions and its ability to withstand windy and salt-laden environments . It produces masses of small purple flowers from October to November, adding seasonal interest to its striking foliage. With minimal maintenance needs and adaptability, Little Rev™ Dianella is an excellent choice for both commercial and residential landscapes in New Zealand.
http://ozbreed.co.nz/plant-ranges/strappy-leaf-plants/little-rev-dianella/
Conclusion
Whether it’s for erosion control, textural contrast, or year-round colour stability, the right blue-toned Dianella can elevate a planting scheme from adequate to exceptional. By understanding the nuanced differences in habit, foliage tone, and performance under stress, landscape specifiers can confidently select cultivars that not only meet visual goals but also support long-term landscape resilience. With so many choices on the market, identifying those proven to thrive in New Zealand conditions is essential for reliable, high-impact planting outcomes