Beginner Gardening: PHORMIUM (New Zealand flax), 1 by jkom51

jkom51 wrote:
Being on the West Coast, I can attest that yes, they are very popular out here. They are much softer than yucca, so you can walk by them without harm, and the hybrids come in some lovely variegated colors. They are evergreen, and being from New Zealand, are rated for zones 7-9, it says they will regrow after freezing in zones 5,6. They take full sun or partial shade (P. tenax prefers full sun; the more colorful hybrids require afternoon shade in hot areas), and are very flexible regarding water. Pictures don't adequately show how beautiful they can be, although we can try: http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2450/. The most marvelous one is 'Maori Sunset' -- I had to settle for a 'Sundowner' when I couldn't find MS, but 'Maori Sunset' is far more beautiful, and the bigger it gets, the more vivid the colors are! I've attached a picture of my 'Dark Dazzler' to give you an idea of growth rate (good soil, regular watering) in its first year, planted from a 3- or 5-gallon can (not sure which).