By ROBIN ROBINSON The Key West Garden Club After Tropical Storm
Isaac in September of 2012, I kept detailed records of how
plants reacted to the storm that hit the east side of West
Martello, home of the Key West Garden Club, with particular
fury. Some plants lost all of their leaves immediately; others
were only wind-singed; still others looked as though they loved
the storm and were ready for more. One of those carefree few was
the Tasmanian flax lily (Dianella tasmanica.) The variegated
flax lily that grew at the top of the hill and sustained the
full winds of Isaac survived without turning a bit brown. This
remarkable feat drew my attention. Shortly after the storm, the
variegated flax lily put out panicles that held a flustering of
small, pale-blue blooms, with three prominent, yellow sepals and
three petals. The star-shaped flowers contain both sexes and are
hermaphrodites. The flowers turn into shiny dark blue berries.
The berries have a bright blue, spongy pulp that contains small
black seeds. The fru