New Zealand Flax
Phormium tenax
Xanthorrhoeaceae
▲▼ red-leaved form
▲▼ red-leaved form
▲ green-leaved form starting to flower
Phormium tenax: New Zealand Flax
Location near campus: along fence on south side of Master Gardener areas north of Botanical Center Building in Nathanael Green park at the Botanical Center.
· not a true grass, but a semi-evergreen (or ever-bronzy-red) foliaged plant with 2-6 foot long leaves that are 1-2 inches wide
· when flowering (not common in Missouri) has flower stems similar to canna with red or yellow flowers
· marginally hardy here—Zone 7 at best, so may freeze out
· prefers full sun, moist, but well-drained soil
· leaves are used by Maori of south Pacific as a fiber source for textiles, ropes