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Gardening in New Zealand

Dividing phormium

19 years ago

I have a very happy, very large, bronze-leafed phormium which has been in the same place for at least five years. Never happy with a good thing, I'm now contemplating dividing and moving it. When would be a good time? Spring? It's currently in the middle of a rose bed, and I would be moving it to a hot, sunny location on a dry slope. Will it be happy with that location? Does it need moist soil or will it be happy with a dry site?

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Comments (3)

vetivert8
19 years ago
Personally, I'd go for autumn if you get good rainfall over winter - June to September.

So long as it gets reliable water while it is establishing a root system then the hot slope may be tenable. A thick mulch will probably increase the chances of success, too. Bark chips or shredded cambium at least 10cm deep put on once the soil is moist.

It may be useful to plant into a 'saucer'-shape so rainfall is directed to the root area rather than running off down the slope. Phormium will tolerate a fair bit of damp, particularly if the soil is not too dense.

When you've extracted your fan for planting cut it as if it was a bearded Iris offset: leave the centre leaves longest because that's the growing point.

Do any of your native birds use the flowers as a nectar source?
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meggs
19 years ago
Oh, dear me you really coddle moth your phormiums :-). I just dig it out in autumn or pull a piece of a risome and plant it again. It does not seem to mind our hot and VERY dry West Aussie summers. We do get a bit of rain in winter but not a lot. Phormiums seem to survive extremely well without any additional watering, it rained twice in Dec about 12mm, nothing in January, nothing so far in February but of course I would water a new clump twice a week in summer until it gets established. After deviding your clump you can plant some smaller plants in pots. You can give them away as pressies :-). Good luck. Meggs
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Phormiums divide nicely, but if they are well established, it can be a big job. Divided my 8 year old Maori Chief last spring and it took three of us to get that rootball out of the ground and an old pruning saw to break it in to manageable clumps. My container grown phorms divided much easier. Just make sure each division has a good number of fans. FYI, phormiums are not a grass - they are a flowering perennial in the agave family.
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vetivert8
19 years ago
Hi Meggs

There are times, when I've done battle with an overgrown Phormium tenax (grubber and sharp knife), I would have happily consigned the lot to any arid place you care to mention!

They do very well down at the beach in pure sand and flattened by hoons in 4WD - and hovering round the snowline, too.

The coddling comes when someone confesses they are fond of a particular cultivar. Then it's the old 'twice a day with the greywater' trick.

BTW for prezzies - how about the miniature versions such as 'Thumbelina' and 'Twisted Sister'? They stay politely small and look great in tall pots.
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