New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax)

New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax)

New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) is a shrub that can grow 3m – 8m tall and 1.5m – 3m wide. In this growing guide we’ll learn the cultivation details and how to plant New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax).

This plant has several common names including: New Zealand flax, common flax lily, flax bush or New Zealand hemp.

This is a evergreen plant that takes 10-20 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: New Zealand flax, common flax lily, flax bush, New Zealand hemp
Scientific name: Phormium tenax
Plant type:
Habit:
Height:
Spread:
Foliage:
Sunlight: ,
Soil: ,
Moisture: ,
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Seasonal colors
Season Stem Foliage Flower Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
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How to plant New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) – Avenue, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Shrubs are fundamental elements in any garden.

They add color and interest throughout the seasons with their wide variety of flowers, foliage, fruits, trunks and stems.

Whatever the size or style of your garden, the permanent woody structure or the foliage of evergreen shrubs will give the space shape and dimension.

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How to plant

In this section we will learn how to plant New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), know its needs in terms of soil, watering and sun exposure.

Soil

New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) is a plant that prefers to grow in loam or sand.

  • The loam soil is dark, rich in organic matter but balanced in minerals. It offers the best of all worlds, retaining enough water for the plants, but allowing excess moisture to drain away. This is the most desired type of garden soil, perfect for most plants.

  • Sandy soil is light, porous and very easy to drain. It is a soil poor in organic matter and nutrients. It is composed of relatively large mineral particles that allow water to drain quickly.

It is not very sensitive to soil acidity or alkalinity and grows well in soils with pH acid, alkaline or neutral.

Regarding drainage, Phormium tenax likes to grow in moist but well drained or well drained soils.

Sunlight

New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) is a plant that should be grown in full sun or partial shade positions.

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Cultivation profiles – Growing New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) – Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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