Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Phormium cookianum

Other names

Whararika, P. colensoi

Family

Asphodelaceae

Flowering season

June to August

English distribution

The naturalised escape is thinly scattered throughout

the country.

For a map see the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland –

Lesser New Zealand-flax

Habitat

It is a neophyte from New Zealand and was introduced into the

UK in the 1770s. It is grown throughout the country as a large

architectural garden plant especially in coastal areas.

The escape is naturalised and established on waste ground, cliffs

and sand dunes, particularly in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

It has become invasive on St. Martins and is subject to an

eradication programme.

Description

Lesser New Zealand-flax is a rhizomatous, evergreen perennial

forming large clumps.

Flowers are in panicles up to 2m high.

The flowers are tubular, yellow tinged with red and up to 4cm.

The perianth tube is made up of 6 fused tepals. The tepals are

yellow and at least one of the inner ones has a strongly

recurved tip.

There are 6 stamens with red filaments and yellow to

grey anthers.

There is a single, long red style with a small pale stigma.

The fruit is a dark brown capsule up to 7cm.

Seeds are large, black, numerous and fertile.

The leaves are variegated pale and dark green, fibrous, up to

2m long and often frayed at the end.

Like New Zealand-flax it has many uses in New Zealand as described

in this Wikipedia link.