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Phormium tenax

Lowland Flax · New Zealand Flax · New Zealand Hemp

Family AsphodelaceaeGenus Phormium

Two tall flower stalks with dark red-brown buds rising from a clump of stiff upright leaves, on a cliff top above a surf-lined coast.
The whole plantKahuroaPublic domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Herbaceous PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Height
1-8 ft0.3-2.4 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1-5 ft0.3-1.5 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Brown/Copper, Red/BurgundyExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Antipodean Is., Chatham Is., New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Norfolk Is.GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
9-11Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good DrainageExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Called flax in New Zealand, though it is a monocot with a leaf fiber, unlike the flax that linen comes from. Māori have woven it since they first came to New Zealand. Wikipedia: Phormium tenax
  • After Europeans arrived, its fiber went into rope and sails until at least the Second World War. Wikipedia: Phormium tenax

Two sources report three treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 16, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 15, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 365 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 12 months from start to sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

3% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Phormium p. 54Public domain
Show the original text
Phormium (Liliaceae). Definitive conclusions cannot be drawn because of the small numbers of seeds. P. tenax germ. 70L{1/3 in 4th w) and 70D(none). Seeds DS 1 y germ. were dead. * , P. tenax variegatum DS 1 y germ. 70D( 1/32) and 70L(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Phormium p. 54. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

8% germination in 14 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Phormium p. 65Public domain
Show the original text
Phormium (Liliaceae). P. tenax purpureum germ. 70L(1/12 in 2nd w) J 70D(1/26 in 3rd w), and 40(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Phormium p. 65. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

4% germination in 21 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Phormium p. 65Public domain
Show the original text
Phormium (Liliaceae). P. tenax purpureum germ. 70L(1/12 in 2nd w) J 70D(1/26 in 3rd w), and 40(none).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Phormium p. 65. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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