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 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 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. In 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.