Phormium Golden Ray - New Zealand Flax

Phormium tenax Gold Ray is a recent, large variety of New Zealand Flax featuring particularly bright foliage. Its leaves are like wide variegated ribbons of green and yellow, finely edged with red-orange, and gathered in a fan shape, forming an imposing tuft with a slightly trailing habit. This evergreen plant offers a particularly exotic aspect to the garden throughout the year, including during its summer flowering with upright spikes adorned with highly nectar-rich tubular flowers. Whether planted individually or in groups, this architectural but not very hardy plant is ideal for coastal regions. It will also thrive in a large container, to be overwintered in cool climates.

The 'Gold Ray' New Zealand Flax belongs to the agave family. It is a recent variety derived from Phormium tenax, the larger of the two New Zealand species. This superb rhizomatous perennial develops into a non-spreading large clump. With an upright and arching habit, it reaches approximately 1.50m (5ft) in height depending on growing conditions, with a spread of 1.20m (3 ft 11 in) to 1.30m (4 ft 4 in), or even more in fertile and moist soil. The leaves are wide, measuring  5 to 7.5cm (2 to 3in), slightly arching, very long, a bit stiff, and pointed at their tips, light green streaked with yellow, each one margined with red-orange. Floral stems, at least 3m (10ft) tall, appear from May to July, depending on the climate, and tower above the foliage tuft. They are green, tinged with purple, in the form of curved tube-shaped flowers, which turn bright red when ripe. This flowering attracts certain birds and numerous pollinating insects.

This Phormium is a plant of great ornamental value, perfect for large slopes or rock gardens in mild climates. Whether used individually or planted in groups, it structures the space and adds a distinctively exotic charm to the garden. It can be enhanced by ground cover plants such as erigerons, creeping rosemary, or blue fescues. Like tall grasses, it is also a wonderful perennial for a modern garden with clean lines, for example, planted on a bed of pebbles. In cold regions, it can be planted in a very large pot on the terrace or balcony, to admire its presence during the season, and overwintered frost-free in a cold greenhouse or a minimally heated conservatory. In an urban garden, it softens concrete structures. For an exotic and contrasting atmosphere, it can be paired with Leptospermum scoparium, a pink to red ball-shaped plant blooming in summer, Helichrysum rosmarinifolium 'Silver Jubilee', Pittosporum tenuifolium Tom Thumb, or even Olearia macrodonta 'Major', other plants which are also perfect for seaside areas.

The Maoris use Phormiums as we use linen, for their fibres that are used in the textile industry. This is probably where the vernacular name 'New Zealand Flax' comes from.