A fountain of evergreen leaves in purple, bronze, green or stripes, rising from a dense clump: that is New Zealand flax (Phormium), as convincing in a border as in a pot on a deck, in a zen garden or in modern designer planting. Give it full sun and soil that drains freely, and the colour stays all year.
| Name | Phormium |
|---|---|
| Family | Agavaceae |
| Type | perennial |
| Height | 6 ½ feet (2 meters) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | well-drained |
| Foliage | evergreen |
| Flowering | summer |
Ideal in a pot on a deck or terrace, it’s also wonderful planted in a sunny garden.
Phormium should be planted ideally in spring in a spot with full sun exposure and in well-draining soil.
Its low hardiness means it will have trouble surviving through cold temperatures (21°F or -6°C). If winter gets any colder, then grow it in a pot and bring it indoors for shelter.
Growing phormium in a pot is fully suited to the plant, on the condition that you water when the soil dries out.
Multiply phormium easily through clump division after the blooming in fall.
Sowing seeds is also feasible, but more difficult to succeed in.
Phormium grows equally well in a container and in a bed, but the two situations do not ask the same things of you. Here is what differs, point by point.
| Need | In a pot | In the ground |
|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Deck, terrace or balcony | A sunny spot in the garden |
| Soil to prepare | Soil mix, perhaps with a little sand | Garden soil plus fresh soil mix, possibly with sand |
| Watering | Much more regular, whenever the soil dries out | Abundant in hot weather, above all the first two years |
| Winter | Move under shelter, in an unheated room | Mulch the base with dried leaves |
In both cases the one non-negotiable is drainage.
Once the blooming has subsided, remove floral scapes from the phormium, cutting them as short as you can reach.
Mineral mulch truly highlights the colors of this surprising perennial.
Phormium requires watering when the soil has fully dried out, especially when growing in a container.
In the ground, water abundantly when the weather is hot, especially during the 2 first years.
Potted phormium:
Watering for potted phormium must be much more regular than if it’s planted in the ground. If many phormium leaves dry out at once, it’s certainly the sign that it doesn’t get enough water.
Phormiums differ above all in leaf colour, in how big the clump finally gets and in whether the leaves stand stiffly upright or arch over. The selection below covers the cultivars most often found in garden centres and mainstream catalogues.
| Variety | Leaf colour | Size band | Habit and best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Apricot Queen’ | Cream-yellow with green and apricot tints | Medium | Arching; light-toned clump for a border edge |
| ‘Yellow Wave’ | Yellow-green with green margins | Medium | Arching; brightens a shady corner of a border |
| ‘Sundowner’ | Bronze-purple with rose-cream margins | Tall | Upright; specimen clump in a border |
| ‘Evening Glow’ | Rose-red centre, bronze margins | Medium | Semi-upright; colour accent near a seating area |
| ‘Black Adder’ | Very dark purple-black | Medium | Upright to arching; pots and modern planting |
| ‘Bronze Baby’ | Bronze-red | Dwarf, under 1 m | Compact, slightly arching; pots and small gardens |
| ‘Pink Stripe’ | Bronze-green with pink margins | Tall | Stiffly upright; architectural focal point |
| ‘Dazzler’ | Bronze with red and pink stripes | Medium | Arching; containers on a deck or terrace |
| Purpureum Group | Deep purple-bronze | Tall | Stiffly upright; dark backdrop in a large bed |
| ‘Cream Delight’ | Cream central band, green margins | Medium | Arching; good in a large container |
| ‘Variegatum’ | Green with creamy-yellow stripes | Tall | Stiffly upright; bold structure in full sun |
| ‘Tricolor’ | Green striped cream, red edge | Medium | Arching; terrace pot or mixed bed |
| ‘Jester’ | Pink centre, lime-green margins | Dwarf to medium | Twisting, arching; patio containers |
| ‘Maori Queen’ | Bronze with rose-pink stripes | Medium | Arching; container or sheltered bed |
| ‘Maori Chief’ | Bronze-green with red and pink stripes | Medium to tall | Semi-upright; back of a sunny border |
A clump of magnificent colors is what phormium brings to your landscaping. This beautiful, bushy perennial adapts particularly well to container growing, simply perfect for your deck or balcony, especially if winter is cold.
Its foliage takes on different hues depending on the variety: purple, bronze, green and sometimes striped. It’s a very trendy plant at the moment, that does great in traditional gardens, zen gardens and also modern designer landscaping.
Another name for this plant is New Zealand flax, which answers the question as to where it is native to. It’s often found in shrubbery and in marshes across the country.
New Zealand flax has been used, even until now, by the Māori peoples for many things, from clothes to basket-weaving. Even the roots have a purpose: they’re good to disinfect wounds.
Select different varieties of this plant to grow together in the same flower bed: you’ll be surprised at how much more appealing this will look!
