Phormium tenaxNew Zealand Flax

The Phormium tenax, commonly known as New Zealand Flax or Harakeke, is a large clump-forming perennial from New Zealand, holding stiff, upright, sword-shaped leaves two to three metres tall in a fan from a woody base. Tall dark flower stems carry dull red tubular flowers well above the foliage in summer.

It gives a hard vertical architectural line at a scale between a shrub and a small tree, and it takes coastal exposure, wind and wet ground. It is used in architectural mass planting, coastal schemes, large planters and civic landscapes.

Specifications

• Height1.5 to 3 metres, with flower stems to 4 metres
• Width1.5 to 2.5 metres
• Native toNew Zealand, in coastal, lowland and wetland habitats
• FoliageStiff, upright, sword-shaped leaves in dark green to bronze, held in a fan from a woody base; evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilAccepts a wide range including sandy, loamy, clay and seasonally wet soils; unusually tolerant of poor drainage
• LightFull sun to partial shade
• WaterModerate; drought-tolerant once established but fuller and better coloured with regular irrigation
• ClimateThrives in temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and coastal regions; foliage can scorch under extreme desert exposure

Additional Features

• FormStrong upright fan of sword-shaped leaves, giving a hard architectural line without any pruning
• FlowersDull red tubular flowers on tall dark stems held well above the foliage in summer
• UsesArchitectural mass planting, coastal and waterfront schemes, large planters and podium beds, civic and campus landscapes
• SpacingPlant 1.5 to 2 metres apart for a continuous architectural mass
• Low MaintenanceRemove spent flower stems and old outer leaves; divide congested clumps every few years
• Pest ResistanceGenerally robust with few significant pest or disease problems
• Salt ToleranceGood, growing naturally in exposed coastal positions in its native range
• Wind ToleranceVery wind-firm, holding form in exposed coastal and elevated positions
• Cultural SignificanceThe traditional fibre plant of New Zealand, long used for weaving and cordage

The New Zealand Flax gives a strong vertical line in a coastal or civic scheme and holds it without any maintenance.