Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Phyla nodiflora (Lippia nodiflora)
Frogfruit
The Phyla nodiflora, commonly known as Frogfruit and specified in tender documents as Lippia nodiflora, is a flat, creeping perennial of warm regions worldwide. It roots at every node into a tight ground-hugging mat of small, toothed, dark green leaves, studded through the warm months with small lilac and white flowerheads on short stalks.
It is used as a low-water alternative to mown turf in ornamental areas, taking light foot traffic and needing no mowing at all. It is used for lawn substitution, verge and median cover, slope stabilisation and paving joint planting.
Specifications
- Height0.05 to 0.15 metres
- WidthIndefinite, rooting at every node as it spreads
- Native toWarm regions worldwide, including the Americas, Africa, southern Asia and Australia
- FoliageSmall, toothed, dark green leaves on creeping rooting stems; evergreen in warm climates
- Growth rateFast
Conditions
- SoilAccepts sandy, loamy, clay and mildly saline soils; adaptable and undemanding
- LightFull sun to partial shade
- WaterLow; drought-tolerant once the mat has closed and far less thirsty than mown turf
- ClimateThrives in hot arid, subtropical, tropical and coastal regions
Additional Features
- FlowersSmall lilac and white flowerheads on short stalks, carried through the warm months across the mat
- UsesLawn substitution in ornamental areas, verge and median cover, slope stabilisation, paving joint and stepping stone planting
- SpacingPlant 0.25 to 0.35 metres apart for a closed mat within one season
- Low MaintenanceNeeds no mowing; trim at hard edges only, and it takes light foot traffic without damage
- Pest ResistanceFree of significant pest and disease problems
- Drought ToleranceGood once established, browning off in extreme drought and recovering quickly
- Erosion ControlThe rooting mat binds slopes, verges and disturbed soil surfaces effectively
- Wildlife AttractionA well-known butterfly and bee plant, worked heavily while in flower
Frogfruit is the practical answer where a scheme wants a green, flowering surface without the water and the mowing that turf demands.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 12 September 2026