basic questions about NZ Flax (phormium)
farslayr
18 years ago
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
18 years agoEmbothrium
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Phormium tenax - New Zealand Flax
Comments (18)myrah, I'm going to assume that 5 in your original post referred to Sunset zone rather than USDA zone as there is no way NZ flax would have survived for 5 years in a USDA zone 5 :-)) Yes, damaged foliage can be cut back to close to the ground - it will take a couple of seasons before they regain their appearance but they will in time. And they can be divided - commercial propagation is most often done in this manner. But they produce a big, heavy, fleshy root system and digging out a full grown flax is a serious undertaking. It took 3 of us to dig out mine (and 2 were big, beefy young guys!) FWIW, this PNW winter was not at all to phormiums' liking and a good many even mature specimens bit the dust! I will be replacing several of mine, all in place for many years....See MorePhormium tenax / New Zealand Flax Seeds
Comments (2)The first thing you should understand is the fact you cannot hope to duplicate named Phormium cultivars from seed. All Phormium seeds return either green or red solid leaved plants, with very rare exception. Propagation of variegated cultivars requires division or tissue culture. Germination is a difficult and potentially lengthy process. While Phormium germinates at 60-65°F, it can take anywhere from 30-180 days. It can be hastened, and to an extent regularized by 6 weeks of cold moist stratification (damp media in the fridge, or winter sowing if you are in zone 7 or colder). Phormium seedlings are extremely vulnerable to damping off. Great care must be taken to avoid it, and you can find information on techniques in the Growing From Seed Forum. Phormium seedlings dislike root disturbance, so you should sow in individual cell trays or containers. Common seeding trays and pricking the seedlings results in large losses. Good luck!...See Morehave: phomium (nz flax)
Comments (0)Have divisions from large (7 ft) variety of phormium tenax/New Zealand flax. Divisions consist of large tuber and blades cut down to about 4 inches. Am open to trade suggestions, and not necessarily tropicals. I also have purple agapanthus, in case you'd like me to include that in the trade as well. Thank you....See MoreDoes anyone grow New Zealand Flax?
Comments (11)I guess I'll be the one to do the experiement to see how it performs here. I forgot to say this is the dark reddish chocolate colored one. It's very pretty and and I'm looking at the tag right now. It says it grows fast -- 12' high and 6' wide!!! LOL! I neglected to read that part before buying. That puts a whole new spin on planting it in the pot I had in mind. Anybody need a 12' grassy plant of a chocolate color? Oh well, it might work in the pot for a few months ... Here is a link that might be useful: Lowes photo ......See Moresps_7_14
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