It has sword-like leaves that shoot up from the base of the plant.
The Spruce / Leticia Almeida
These blade-leafed, evergreen perennials are often used as specimen plants.
Seed pods form after the flowers bloom.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
The seed pods are attractive in their own right, but you shoulddeadheadthem if self-seeding is not desired.
These plants will alsotolerate poor, non-fertile soil.
As with most perennials, spring is the traditional time to plant New Zealand flax.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Light
New Zealand flax prefers a full sun location but will tolerate partial shade.
Because it is usually grown for its foliage, full sun is not crucial.
In fact, in hotter climates, hybrids might do better with afternoon shade to enhance leaf color.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
It prefers slightly acidic soil but is perfectly happy in neutral soil.
When grown in containers, rich potting mix is preferred over standard potting mix.
Water
New Zealand flax has average water needs.
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Potted plants should be kept consistently moist, but not soggy.
An annual top-dressing of well-rotted compost can help provide nutrients and retain soil moisture.
Take a look around your local nursery to see what they’ve introduced this year.
Ron Evans / Getty Images
Be aware that the cultivars and hybrids are sometimes more temperamental than the pureP.
Established favorites include:
Pruning
The best time to prune New England flax is in the fall.
Start by removing dead, dying, or diseased leaves.
Cut them off at the base.
Trim again in the spring if winter temperatures have killed or damaged any leaves.
Sow the seeds in warm soil and water them well, then wait for the seedlings to arrive.
When they do, thin them out to provide plenty of room to grow.
Potting and Repotting
Phormium tenaxcan easily be grown in containers.
Dont allow the plants to experience frost.
When wintered indoors, this plant prefers cool temperatures and lots of sunlight.
Overwintering
In its cold hardiness zones, overwintering is not an issue.
Gardeners in zones 7 through 9 might find that their plants will die back with colder temperatures.
Many times its easiest to just dispose of the infested plant.
Fungal leaf spots may also mar the leaves.
Horticultural soaps andoilsare the first options for treating these pests.
This plant is less common thanP.
tenax, with shorter leaves that have a lesser degree of recurve.
The seed pods are twisted and pendulous in shape.
These species readily interbreed, and some of the named cultivars are crosses between the two species.
The mature size of your New Zealand flax plant will depend on the variety and your growing conditions.
Many plants in containers grow one to four feet tall, butPhormium tenaxcan reach ten feet under ideal conditions.
ContrastPhormium’s dramatic leaves with low-growing, delicate foliage such asperennial geraniumsand coreopsis.
