Phormium Pink Stripe - New Zealand Flax

The Phormium tenax Pink Stripe is a variety of New Zealand Flax with a tall growth habit, forming a magnificent clump with an upright habit, ornamental all year round. Its long strap-like leaves have a bronze-green colour, slightly tinged with brown and blue and bordered with various shades of pink or salmon. Its summer flowering is less spectacular than its foliage and consists of tubular pinkish-to-orange flowers borne on long stalks that emerge from the foliage. Phormiums display an almost infinite range of tones and are fantastic perennials for mild climates. They bring a remarkable touch of exoticism to coastal gardens, along with cordylines, callistemons, and bamboo. They also thrive in large pots, protected indoors during winter.

The 'Pink Stripe' New Zealand Flax belongs to the agavaceae family. It is a variety derived from Phormium tenax, the larger of the two New Zealand species. This superb rhizomatous perennial develops into a non-invasive large clump. With a distinctly upright habit, it grows rather slowly and reaches an average height of 1.75m depending on growing conditions, with a spread of 1m (3 in 4ft) or more in fertile and moist soil. The leaves are quite wide (5 to 7cm) (1.97 to 2.75 in) and long, stiff, slightly arching, and pointed at the tip. Their colour is rather dark, intermediate between bronze green, brown, and grey-blue and enhanced by a beautiful, pink border. Flowering stems at least 2m (6 in 7ft) tall appear from May to July, depending on the climate, towering above the foliage clump. They bear curved tube-shaped flower spikes that take on various shades of brownish-pink-purple at maturity. This flowering attracts certain birds and numerous pollinating insects.

This Phormium is a plant of great ornamental value, suitable for large borders or large rock gardens in mild climates. Used as a specimen or planted in groups, it structures the space and adds a very exotic charm to the garden. It will be enhanced by ground cover plants such as eriophyllums, creeping rosemary, lady's mantles, or blue fescues. Like tall grasses, it is also a wonderful perennial for a modern garden with clean lines, for example, installed on a bed of pebbles. In cold regions, it can be planted in a very large pot on the terrace or balcony, 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 ambiance, it can be paired with Leptospermum scoparium, Helichrysum rosmarinifolium 'Silver Jubilee', Pittosporum tenuifolium Tom Thumb, or Olearia macrodonta 'Major', which are also sea-side plants.

The Maoris use Phormiums as we use flax, in the textile industry. This is probably why they are commonly known as 'New Zealand Flax'.