Phormium tenax: Country Or Region Of Origin
New Zeland
Plant Profile: Phormium tenax
Taxonomy: Phormium tenaxNames
New Zealand Flax
Phonetic Spelling:FOR-mee-um TEN-aks
Genus:Phormium
Species:tenax
Family:Asphodelaceae
Phormium tenax, often referred to as New Zealand flax, originates from New Zealand. This evergreen perennial forms clumps and is valued for its striking leaves. It thrives in well-drained soil and prefers full sun to partial shade. Additionally, it serves as an excellent choice for container gardening, adding both height and a splash of color.
Potential issues include pests like mealybugs and slugs, as well as leaf spot, which can harm the plant's foliage.
Phormium tenax Feature Summary
Tags
#salt tolerant
#colorful leaves
#colorful
#accent plant
#patio planting
#container plants
Similar Plants
Phormium tenax Feature Summary
Attributes
New Zeland
This plant is highly salt tolerant.
Perennial
Flowers
Panicles of dark red flowers appear well above the foliage atop stout, rigid flowering spikes (to 12’ tall) in summer. Plants grown in containers arely flowers
Red/Burgundy
Brown/Copper
Spike
Panicle
Leaves
Rigid, sword-shaped, linear, bright green leaves (3-9’ long) in erect clumps. Leaf margins and midribs are narrowly edged with red-orange. Leaves are creased down the middle and folded into a v-shape.
Green
Simple
Other/more complex
Lanceolate
Entire
3-6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
3 feet-6 feet
12 inches-3 feet
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Stem
Landscape
Phormium tenax Image Gallery
Phormium tenax Attributes
Phormium tenax: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
This plant is highly salt tolerant.
Phormium tenax: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Phormium tenax Flowers
Phormium tenax: Flower Description
Panicles of dark red flowers appear well above the foliage atop stout, rigid flowering spikes (to 12’ tall) in summer. Plants grown in containers arely flowers
Phormium tenax: Flower Color
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Phormium tenax: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Phormium tenax: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Phormium tenax Leaves
Phormium tenax: Leaf Description
Rigid, sword-shaped, linear, bright green leaves (3-9’ long) in erect clumps. Leaf margins and midribs are narrowly edged with red-orange. Leaves are creased down the middle and folded into a v-shape.
Phormium tenax: Leaf Color
Green
Phormium tenax: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Phormium tenax: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Phormium tenax: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Phormium tenax: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Phormium tenax: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Phormium tenax: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Phormium tenax: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Phormium tenax Whole Plant Traits
Phormium tenax: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Phormium tenax: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Phormium tenax: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Phormium tenax Cultural Conditions
Phormium tenax: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Phormium tenax: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Phormium tenax: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Phormium tenax: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
11a
11b
9a
9b
Phormium tenax Stem
Phormium tenax: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Phormium tenax Landscape
Phormium tenax: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Phormium tenax: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Phormium tenax: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
