New Zealand Flax

New Zealand Flax

Phormium tenax

Xanthorrhoeaceae

▲ ▼ red-leaved form

▲ green-leaved form starting to flower

Phormium tenax: New Zealand Flax

Location near campus: along fence on south side of Master Gardener areas north of Botanical Center Building in Nathanael Greene park at the Botanical Center.

not a true grass, but a semi-evergreen (or ever-bronzy-red) foliaged plant with 2-6 foot long leaves that are 1-2 inches wide
when flowering (not common in Missouri) has flower stems similar to canna with red or yellow flowers
marginally hardy here--Zone 7 at best, so may freeze out
prefers full sun, moist, but well-drained soil
leaves are used by Maori of south Pacific as a fiber source for textiles, ropes