phormium
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At-A-Glance InformationThese New Zealand native plants are known for their dramatic sword-like evergreen foliage and fan pattern. They are wonderful on hillsides, in borders, in containers, and near pools and other bodies of water. Once established, plants will produce spikes of flowers. These plants need full sun to partial shade and need little to regular water to perform well. Phormium plants are hardy down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Phormium Species and Varietals
The best growing zones for Phormium are 7-9, 14-24, H1 and H2. For more information, see the species descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Phormium cookianum (Phormium colendoi) (Mountain Flax)
This species has drooping leaf tips; leaves reach 4-5 feet long and are 2.5-3 inches wide. Mature clumps of foliage reach 4-5 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide (or more, if given the space). Choice selections are listed and described below.
'Black Adder'
To 3-4 feet tall and just as wide, with glossy burgundy-black leaves. |
'Flamingo'
1-2 feet tall and wide, with leaves that have shades of orange, pink, light green, and yellow in them. |
Phormium cookianum hookeri
'Cream Delight' Leaves have a broad central margin in cream and narrow green margins outlined in dark red. |
Phormium Hybrids
This group of plants are crosses between Phormium cookianum and Phormium tenax, and have wonderful leaf colors. Leaves are generally between 1.5-2 inches wide, unless otherwise noted.
This group of plants are crosses between Phormium cookianum and Phormium tenax, and have wonderful leaf colors. Leaves are generally between 1.5-2 inches wide, unless otherwise noted.
'Apricot Queen'
3 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with 2-3 inch wide leaves. Foliage is light yellow with green margins and blushes with light orange in cool temperatures. |
'Bronze Baby'
3-5 feet tall and wide. Leaves are deep red-brown and age to bronze. Leaf edges are orange and the midrib glows in the sun. |
'Dark Delight'
4 feet tall and 8 feet wide, with 1-2 inch wide leaves. Leaves are dark red-brown with a thin orange midrib. |
'Dazzler'
Slow growth to 3 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide, with twisting, arching leaves that are scarlet and striped with maroon. |
'Duet'
Reaches 2-2.5 feet tall and wide. Leaves arch slightly and are lime green edged with creamy yellow. |
'Dusky Chief'
Forms a dense foliage clump 3-5 feet tall and wide. Leaves are wine red with coral edges, 2-3 inches wide. |
'Ed Carman'
Upright grower to 2-3 feet tall and just as wide. Foliage is bronze edged with light pink to white. |
'Firebird'
Stiff, upright grower to 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide, with rose-red leaves that have bronze-green margins. |
'Golden Ray'
4-5 feet tall, slightly arching. Leaves are striped green and cream and have red edges. |
'Guardsman'
6-8 feet tall and just as wide; 3-inch wide leaves that are maroon with a bright red border. |
'Jack Spratt'
1.5 feet tall and wide, with 1/2 inch wide leaves that are twisting and red-brown. |
'Jester'
1.5-2.5 feet tall and wide, with rich pink arching leaves that have hints of orange in them. Leaf edges are lime green. |
'Maori Chief' ('Rainbow Chief')
Robust grower to 6 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide, with green, rose-edged leaves. |
'Maori Queen' ('Rainbow Queen')
3 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide. Leaves are bronze-green with wide coral-cream margins. |
'Maori Sunrise' ('Rainbow Sunrise')
3 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide, with bronze-green striped foliage that has pink-orange-cream base colors. |
'Morticia'
To 3-4 feet tall and wide, with purple-black leaves. |
'Pink Stripe' ('Pink Edge')
4-6 feet tall and wide, with grey-green foliage blushed purple. Margins are bright pink and get broader towards the base of the plant. |
'Platt's Black'
This variety reaches 2-3 feet tall and has dark burgundy to nearly black leaves. Best in cooler climates. |
'Sea Jade'
4-5 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide, with maroon to bronze leaves edged with lime green. |
'Sundowner'
5-7 feet tall and wide, with 3-inch wide leaves. Olive to bronze-green foliage is striped with pink-red and with red edges. Undersides are grey-green. |
'Sunset'
4-6 feet tall and wide with apricot to pink leaves that are striped with green. |
'Surfer'
2-4 feet tall and wide. Leaves are maroon bronze with grey-green undersides and green central stripes. Foliage is somewhat twisting. |
'Thumbelina'
1.5 feet tall and wide, with dark reddish brown leaves. |
'Tiny Tiger' ('Aurea Nana')
A mini variety, barely topping out at a foot tall and wide. Leaves flush pink in cool weather. |
Phormium tenax (New Zealand Flax)
This large, bold plant has bronze-green leaves and reach 9 feet tall and wide. Choice varieties of this species are listed below.
This large, bold plant has bronze-green leaves and reach 9 feet tall and wide. Choice varieties of this species are listed below.
'Atropurpureum' ('Bronze', 'Rubrum', Purpureum Group)
Plants in this group with purple or brown-red foliage that reach about 6-8 feet tall and wide. Grown from seed, somewhat variable. |
'Atropurpureum Compactum' ('Monrovia Red')
5 feet tall with burgundy-bronze foliage. |
'Chocolate' ('Chocolate Dream')
4-5 feet tall and wide, with with rich brown leaves. |
'Radiance'
5-6 feet tall and 7 feet wide. Leaves are green and have central yellow stripes and green margins with a thin orange edge. |
'Variegatum'
6-8 feet tall and wide, with grey-green leaves with creamy yellow stripes on the edges. |
'Wings of Gold'
2-3 feet tall with grey-green leaves that have cream-yellow margins. Great for container plantings. |
Caring for Festuca
Propagation
Problems and Pests
Gallery
Videos
A video all about growing camellias successfully
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Propagating camellias
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 500 - 502, Phormium
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